


The Rule of a Queen

by Sar61_Sanz6



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Bashing, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Being an Idiot, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir in Denial, Bad Teacher Caline Bustier, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Caline Bustier Bashing, Caline Bustier Fired, Chat Noir's Miraculous is taken, Cold Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Damian gets a Miraculous, F/M, Felix gets a Miraculous, Guardian Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Ice Princes, Ice Queen, Ice Royals, Juvie, Lila Rossi Bashing, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Lila salt, Lila's Downfall, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Deserves Better, Marinette and Chloe become allies, Mean Marinette, Multi, No Lila Rossi Redemption, Principal Damocles Bashing (Miraculous Ladybug), Principal Damocles Fired, Salty Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Song: Empire (Beth Crowley), Song: Kings & Queens (Ava Max), Song: Queen of Mean (Disney), Song: Tough Love (Villians Lair), Strong Marinette Dupain-Cheng, class salt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:55:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24424633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sar61_Sanz6/pseuds/Sar61_Sanz6
Summary: Marinette had long been done. Everyday Ladybug, class representative, Paris heroine, turned against the world, all because of some liar with sausages for hair. Well, no more.Thanks to some inspiration, a few connections, some new friends, and scaring Hawkmoth himself, Marinette decided to finally put her foot down.Make way peasants, and bow to the ‘Evil’ Queen.
Relationships: Félix Graham de Vanily/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Félix (Miraculous Ladybug PV)/Damian Wayne, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Félix Graham de Vanily
Comments: 248
Kudos: 1587





	1. DONE

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [I'll Change My Crown, from Light to Dark](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22896235) by [Snow_Leopard_777](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow_Leopard_777/pseuds/Snow_Leopard_777). 
  * Inspired by [The Empress of Mean](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20457965) by [ArtXyra](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtXyra/pseuds/ArtXyra). 
  * Inspired by [Queen Of Mean](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22253470) by [RuMaDoo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RuMaDoo/pseuds/RuMaDoo). 



> I just love the stories with Marinette becoming a Queen and raining hell on others. Taking inspiration from a few other stories, I'm making this! Tell me what you think!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng, baker's daughter, class representative, expected Everyday Ladybug, and class example was officially done. She was DONE, done. Her foot was finally coming down, done. 

Lila Rossi had wormed her way into the hearts of all her classmates, Miss Bustier, and the principal Damocles. Ever since then, she had been name-called, vandalized, stolen from, and even pushed down staircases or into walls. The final straw was the end of this Friday. 

The morning and afternoon had been the same as any since Lila came. She was lectured on timing, laughed at for tipping on feet sticking out just to make her trip, and bullied throughout the day. But today, her sketchbooks, both the one from the school play costumes and the one for free commissions that she was expected to do, were torn in pieces and scattered within her locker like glitter. Then the notes she had on the end of the year class trip she’d been planning were found on her desk with water poured on them, utterly ruining them to the point the paper was mush. 

Marinette thought the piece of resistance of the day was her school phone (she had a backup phone for non-school hours since she had to buy three this last year alone) being found in pieces in the technology classroom. The teacher and students all claimed it had been donated for them, the person donating stated it had no real owner. 

But oh, was she so wrong. 

You see, after school, her parents were going on a date night and closed the shop while Marinette was going to Grande Paris hotel to meet up with Jagged and finalize the fittings of his newest commission. So her home was left with no one there and everyone knew it would be closed that night. So when Marinette came home to find her room trashed, her fabrics shredded, her sewing machine in pieces, and all of her commissions, the ones in progress and the ones meant to be shipped to the post office tomorrow, in irreparable shape, she was angry. 

Do not misunderstand. She expected the beginning of the new school year to be hard after a whole summer avoiding them all. But this… 

The name-calling she could brush off, the bullying she could take, the isolation she could handle, but her hard work trashed like this? Oh, the worst part was this didn’t just affect her, those commissions were for people of high status and fame. They were all hardworking people she met personally or through Jagged, Penny, her parents, family friends, or Clara Nightengale. Marinette had made friendships with these people and saw them as family at this point. So to see the commissions meant for them in such a state, well, Satan would be shivering if he knew how livid Marinette was. 

Apparently, Hawkmoth didn’t get that memo. 

_‘Princess Justice, I am Hawkmoth. I’m giving you the power to expose your former friends to the truth and punish them for their crimes. All I ask in return are Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous.’_

“Screw you,” Marinette growled, keeping the villain from going deeper into her mind and exposing her secret, “I am done. D-O-N-E, done! I don’t need you making me look worse than I already feel and I certainly don’t been to stoop down to those-those- imbeciles’ level! Oh~, trust me, truth and punishment will be served, but on my terms. You now have ten seconds to get out of my head, or so help me, if you give me that power, you will be the one I will be taking my rage out on first! And I will skin you alive, burn you into a roast, and hack you into pieces to feed to the most savage animals I can find and laugh at your demise! I’m no princess anymore, by the end of the year, I will be a queen who will sentence all those who’ve wronged or angered me to death! So go ahead, give me power, but know the cost will be your life!” 

Hawkmoth will forever deny he peed himself, especially since he saw how she envisioned her threat in her mind. He quickly took the butterfly back and reverted back to Gabriel Agreste, ordering Nathalie to find something, anything, to take his mind off of what he just saw in the girl’s head. 

Meanwhile, Marinette breathed a sigh of relief at her accomplishment with high-phrase from Tikki, who was also livid of what happened. 

Now that she was done playing nice, there was work to do. She made kind-of a vow in her little rant there. By the end of the year, she wanted to be queen. Well, with her Ladybug strategy skills and planning, and a little luck from Tikki, anything can happen. 

First was informing her parents that her room had been broken into. The police came, took pictures, asked questions, and left to find a trail, but Marinette knew Lila would probably sway her class into making a cover story so they would get off scot-free. No matter, she’ll fix that. 

She sent a mass text to all her classmates, safe Chloe and Sabrina who long ago decided to ignore the liar, that they were not friends after what they did. The texts back consisted of threats, name-calling, some curses, and statements claiming she deserved what they did, some even going into details and confessing who did what. The texts stopped in less than thirty minutes, and she screenshotted every bit of it, printing them all out mere seconds later. She filed all the papers away in a folder inside an old, not-used, waterproof binder and stored it for later. 

Next was taking her own pictures and informing all her clients of the incident and vaguely mentioning her suspects. While she cleaned, her clients and family friends all gave their apologies and extended time so she could finish everything. Others donated a bit of cash so she could replace her equipment, but she returned it since she had savings to use. She only requested some help from a few of them that were essential to her plan. They agreed and waited for her to inform them of her plans at a later date. 

Then she informed all the students of the school play that her sketchbook had been destroyed as well as all her paid work and thus, she would be unable to do anything for the school. The majority of the students, safe the few from her class, understood and shared their outrage. As artisans and hark workers themselves, they understood her anger and encouraged her vengeance. 

Miss Busier was sent a text of the events of tonight, her home being broken into and such, and stated she would be unable to redo any plans for the class trip. Also, since she was so busy and unable to do so, she would be stepping down as the class representative. Marinette got a text back the next morning with flowery apologies, well wishes for her future hard work, and a short lecture on being a good class example even when she wasn’t a class rep. It made her want to barf but she kept her breakfast down. 

After a good night’s sleep, Marinette planned her vengeance while shopping for replacement equipment. First and foremost, she needed to change everything about her. And two individuals instantly came to her mind. Taking a mental note to visit them later, she headed home and got to work. 

She planned thoroughly as she made the skeletons of all her commissions before doing some research. Marinette looked over everything available in the school, literally everything. She stumbled upon the foreign exchange program with luck and instantly looked over it. The remaining options for the program were Japan, Italy, or America, specifically, Gotham City. When she noticed Gotham was at the bottom of the list, with a side note of the high crime rate it held, she started her research on it. 

What caught her eyes the most was the chatter both in the school and in the public of the ‘Ice Prince’. The blood son of Bruce Wayne and heir to Wayne Enterprises, known for his cold personality, sharp tongue, deadly glare, and near-heartlessness. When she saw the last name Wayne, Marinette grinned wickedly. 

Looking back over her Potential Clients list and those requesting to meet her, Marinette saw the highest, most requested asker was none other than the richest, most over the top Jagged Stone fan, Timothy Drake-Wayne. Her plan grew as she sent a request to the teacher in charge of the exchange program, thanking the heavens it was Ms. Mendeleive. She knew by the end of the month, she’d be on a plane to Gotham City. 

Marinette later marched to Grande Paris hotel, requesting to speak to Chloe. Her former bully was confused but let her in her hotel room when she saw the raging flames in her eyes. 

“Chloe,” Marinette calmly began, internally struggling to keep a stone face, “you are the only other person in our class with more than one brain cell. That is to say, you’re smart enough not to easily fall for Lie-la Rossi’s tall tales that are, as you say, ‘utterly ridiculous’. Am I not correct?” 

The blond nodded, glaring with interest as Sabrina acted as a servant and served tea to both of them at the table. The red-head was also confused at Dupain-Cheng’s sudden change. 

“I am here to offer you a deal,” the dark-bluenette smiled, “in about a month, I will be leaving the class, I’ve entered the foreign exchange program. While I’m gone, they will be swarmed with lawsuits, personal problems, and covering for everything I would do for them. They will all be headless chickens flocking to the vixen, Rossi. Whom I suspect will be grabbing the class representative position as I have resigned as of last night.” 

“You won’t fight me anymore,” Chloe concluded, smirking a bit, “not for them. You have plans to utterly ruin their lives this year. And you are giving me free rein to do as I please again. One question though, where was this backbone when I bullied you?” 

“It was seen as unneeded,” Marinette shrugged, nodding thanks to Sabrina as she presented a tray of sweets, “with my… former friends, I need to be nice, kind, and considerate of everything. The Everyday Ladybug role model that was expected of me. Now that they aren’t my friends, I’ve decided to change everything about myself. Which brings me to reason two of my coming here.” 

Chloe tilted her head in interest, “Do tell.” 

“I want you, and possibly Kagami, if I can get her on my side, to train me,” Marinette looked Chloe in the eyes seriously, “on how to be cruel to those seen as beneath me. Teach me how to be a queen, a cruel, heartless, could give a damn about others, queen of mean.” 

Chloe and Sabrina blinked hard before the blond grinned like a Cheshire cat that caught the world’s most prized canary. 

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Chloe sat up straight with a pleased and joyful expression, “when this is over, you’ll be an empress ruling over your own kingdom.” 

They shook hands over the table with Sabrina as a happily smiling witness. The contract was sealed. 

The next day Marinette received her verification from Ms. Mendeleive, she was going to Gotham at the beginning of next month. Her parents did not argue too much. They wanted their daughter away from the students after they went so far and only requested she would be careful and message them daily at least. Marinette happily agreed and lightened the mood by mentioning that Jagged’s next stop on his tour was Gotham, so he’d be able to check on her during his stay. 

With high hopes and strong will, Marinette marched to the Tsurugi’s known training grounds and intercepted Kagami after her mother was needed for something in the middle of practice. 

“Kagami,” Marinette surprised her with the same stone expression she had when dealing with Chloe yesterday, “I require your teachings.” 

As the two had become close before, Kagami nodded and they sat at the nearby bench. 

Marinette told her everything, about Lila, the bullying, and what happened at her house, showing the picture she took as proof. When Kagami finished seething over that, Marinette told her word for word of Adrien’s little speech/lecture, and how he said ‘her lies aren’t hurting anyone’. The fencer and girlfriend of the Agreste was doubtful at first, but seeing Marinette’s sincerity and inner rage told her enough. 

The two teens of Asian heritage talked about Marinette’s plans, Kagami agreeing to assist Marinette in her training to become a different person and adding fencing classes as a self-defense and courage enhancer. 

Informing Kagami’s mother was suffocating and a struggle, but once the blind woman heard the whole story, she agreed to have her daughter train Marinette. Especially after Kagami stated, “Agreste has shown himself a coward. He holds no honor though he wields his sword with strength and skill. However, that weapon is not meant to be in his hands if he chooses to point its blade to the victim rather than slay the enemy.” 

With that, the first stage of her plan was done. 


	2. Training

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Next chapter coming up!

The following school week was going according to plan. 

Marinette and Chloe chose to sit in the back of the classroom, not because they were isolated, but because they could look down upon the storm Marinette was brewing. Sabrina was tasked with sitting among the traitors, to listen in and gather information, record conversations if necessary, and inform them of anything that could hinder Marinette’s plans. 

Miss Bustier announced Marinette’s resignation of class representative and the class cheered loud enough for the whole school to hear. They quickly voted, Lila coming in first place and Alya volunteering to be her deputy, but with fake tears, the liar stated she was too busy to take such a big job so the two switched. Alya was the class rep and Lila was the deputy with plans and contacts. Marinette practiced her expressionless face as she watched, Chloe poking her when she twitched or almost rolled her eyes. 

Lila momentarily gained a look of panic when Buster mentioned the great plans Marinette had on the school trip. The trip to New York City with a full two-week tour, complete with a luxury hotel, waterpark reservations, theme parks, and tours of the statue fo liberty and popular museums. When Lila looked at Marinette, she barely took note of her face and sweetly requested if Marinette could share the notes and contacts she had for those plans. 

Marinette didn’t smile, didn’t look her in the eyes, and didn’t show any expression other than being completely careless of their desires as she stated, “Can’t. On Friday, all of my notes were destroyed. The contacts, the plans, the reservations, all the paperwork was soaked. I don’t know how they could have gotten water on them, they were in the classroom when no one was here, and when I got back, they were ruined. I can’t remember all of the various numbers, arrangements, and documents I had on those papers, it was so much work. So I’m afraid I can’t share them with any of you, even if I wanted to.” 

“Girl!” Alya seethed, “What do you mean ‘even if I wanted to’?!” 

Marinette shrugged her shoulders while Chloe smirked at the bluenette’s reply, “I mean, I don’t want to share anything with any of you anymore. Unless you forgot that Saturday you all agreed not to be my friends? Why should I help people who aren’t my friends?” 

“Now Marinette,” Bustier smiled fakely, “remember what we talked about-” 

“You mean, what you talked about,” Marinette interrupted her, “I honestly could care less about that conversation now. Being the role model is the job of the class rep. So give your words to her, not me, the outsider student of the class.” 

Bustier was shocked and all of the students threw hateful words at her but she remained emotionless, much to certain students’ notice and confusion. It honestly unnerved a lot of them, safe Alya and Lila, who had no brain cells, and Sabrina, who knew this was the progress of Marinette’s training. 

Adrien remained gapping at Marinette, blinking hard at her expression and words. But class started up again with Lie-la promising to work her connections to give them an even better trip than the one Marinette planned. 

Marinette remained by Chloe’s side the whole day, Adrien only managed to speak to the bakers’ daughter after school. 

“Marinette, what was that?” Adrien asked with Chloe looking disgustedly at him, “You know we can’t let Lila get akumatized.” 

“No Agreste,” Marinette corrected, startling Adrien with the use of his last name, “you won’t allow Rossi to get akumatized. Me? I’m done with her and our class. Her lies have finally hurt more than me and she will deal with the consequences herself. Now, Chloe and I have an arrangement with Kagami, we shall see you tomorrow.” 

“Kagami?” Adrien was confused, “Since when did you and Chloe ever start hanging out? And when did you get Kagami involved?” 

“Since yesterday, Agreste,” Chloe replied for them as Sabrina led Marinette to their transport, “oh, and before I forget, we are no longer friends. You can crawl with the rest of our class. Don’t bother offering me or Marinette invites to parties, hangouts, or even dances. Our schedules will be booked enough as it is.” 

Adrien watched his old childhood friend leave and follow after Marinette and Sabrina with confusion still on his face even as he got back home. 

When the girls got together, Kagami went through some basic self-defense and fencing with Marinette as Chloe gave advice on the sidelines on how to rule. 

“You must never waver, even when your hold is slipping,” the blond instructed as Marinette dodged a blow, “if you are seen as weak for a minute your enemy will eat you alive. Your kindness must be reserved, saved only for a select few. Never show it to those you first meet or to suspicious individuals. Find out who they are from the inside out, then determine if you let them see your kindness or if they only see your might.” 

“You must also be on guard,” Kagami added, sending a barrage of attacks, “never let your defense down no matter what. The fiercest foe can have the most innocent eyes, always expect your enemy to be your least likely suspect.” 

“And a queen is also just as unsuspecting,” Chloe added smugly, “a queen is beauty, grace, and politeness to a T. You need to be everything that is expected of royalty and more. Sabrina!” 

“Yes Chloe?” the happy servant answered from the blond’s side. 

“Find the best matching makeup for Marinette,” Chloe intrusted looking over Marinette’s tired form to her fiery eyes, “blue eye shadow to pop out her eyes. Dark blush and even darker lipstick to bring out her hair. Search for the best matches so that the most minimal amount of makeup is required to draw out her natural beauty. The last thing we need to do is cake makeup on her like Rossi tends to do herself.” 

“Right away!” Sabrina dashed out. 

Kagami stopped their practice, “Chloe is right, you must draw attention to yourself so that those beneath you are aware of your status. People must have the urge to bow to you if you wish to be queen.” 

“I will be queen,” Marinette stated with a huff, locking eyes with her trainers, “I will be the best queen, an empress. And my first executions will be my former friends, and soon, former classmates. They will rue the day they crossed the line and fear me after I am crowned!” 

Chloe and Kagami shared vicious smiles, oh how they loved the sound of that.

* * *

Adrien was soon dumped by Kagami, which confused the hell out of him. He tried to talk to her but she never said anything and fought him like she wanted his head during practice. Which she kinda did, but she held back because that right was reserved for Marinette. 

The class scrambled to gather money for an impossible trip and Alya was soon flooded with Marinette’s previous workload. The former class rep struggled not to smirk as the stress and anxiety slowly got to her and Lila over the days. Not to mention the rest of the class was soon missing valuable sleep doing difficult work and fundraisers, each getting them poor amounts of cash each time. 

When Lila wasn’t stressed with the expectations placed on her, she was spinning more lies and those lies made it to the Ladyblog, which soon became the ‘Lila-blog’ in all but name. Sabrina did her part well in recording Lila’s tales of knowing people of ridiculously high status. Claiming this and that and how he or she is so perfect or so nice. The ambassador’s daughter didn’t even know she was digging her own grave. 

A week before her plane was scheduled, Marinette informed Kagami and Chloe where she was going and the other part of her plan. 

“I’m going to Gotham Academy,” Marinette stated as she practiced walking perfectly with three books in her head and a stone expression, “and meeting up with Tim Drake-Wayne, the co-CEO of Wyne enterprises, as a potential client.” 

“You’re meeting a Wayne?!” Chloe screeched as Kagami blinked, shocked. 

Marinette nodded, not dropping the books, “Yes, he’s been a fan of my work since Uncle Jagged started raving about me, or rather MDC, to the public.” 

“You’re MDC?!” the blond pulled her ponytail. 

“Yes,” Marinette stated with a cold glare thrown at her friend, “and I’d like it if my identity remained secret until I give out my big reveal to the world.” 

Chloe snapped her jaw shut as Kagami processed everything, “You are planning to rule an empire with followers crawling at your feet. No wonder you wish for an authoritative persona. You will need it to crush your opponents without your class attempting to break you.” 

“Exactly,” the designer twirled on her heel without dropping the books, “that’s why I decided on Gotham. It is the last place my classmates will search for me when their lives are being torn upon my departure. And if I successfully find Drake to be a worthy client, I will request his younger brother, Damian Wayne, to give me advice and extra training on being an ‘Ice Queen’ as his reputation shows he would be a promising tutor.” 

“You are gonna request lessons from THE Damian Wayne?” Chloe breathed in disbelief, “You really want the class to suffer and you’re willing to die to do it.” 

Kagami nodded, “Yes. The Wayne heir is a notorious person. He never allows anyone to get close to him, even other successful business heirs. You may end up crushed before you even make that request.” 

“Then so be it,” Marinette frowned, “they will pay. All of them will pay. Even if I have to be at literal gunpoint to get my vengeance, they will suffer.” 

Both trainers blinked hard before concluding they would be better off helping the girl than denying her. Smarter to be a friend than an enemy of Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

* * *

“Hello?” Felix Graham de Vanily answered his phone. 

“Graham de Vanily,” Chloe addresses on the other line, “before you hang up, hear me out first.” 

Felix sighed, “Name one good reason why I should be listening to you.” 

“Your cousin is going to be utterly crushed. Is that a good enough reason?” 

“... I’m listening.” 

“Good. To summarize, Agreste has been more stupid than usual and is sharing the same brain cell as the rest of the idiots in our class. The result is a formerly nice and kindness personified girl is planning vengeance and Agreste is on her list. In a week, she will be leaving for Gotham to seek out the Wayne heir to teach her his cold Ice Prince ways. I and Kagami Tsurugi have already begun her training and she is exceeding expectations. However, there is no guarantee she will be trained under Wayne, and when it comes to Ice Princes’, you are the crowned prize in England.” 

“Are you stating you want me to go to Gotham as a backup plan in case the heir of Wayne Enterprises, who mind you has as cold a personality as me as some theorize, denies her request? Then I need to step in instead?” 

“You are undoubtedly the smarter look-a-like. Yes, that’s exactly what I want.” 

Felix pinched the bridge of his nose, “You do realize how last-minute this is, right? You said she was leaving in a week.” 

Chloe turned serious, “But you can get it done, unlike an Agreste. That’s one of the things I’m counting on.” 

“... I hate it when you’re actually serious about something. Last question, what’s in it for me?” 

He could practically hear her smug grin, “Besides playing a hand in your cousin’s demise? And a potential front-row seat of it happening? Quite possibly, a fully redone wardrobe by MDC herself.” 

“I’ll be in Gotham within seven days.” 

“Knew you were the smart one for a reason.”

* * *

Marinette was packed, boxes of her equipment and supplies shipped off to her reserved room in Gotham, and ready to leave Paris. 

Since she was leaving for the school year, and she was a small business owner, the academy had given Marinette her own room with plenty of space for her to do commissions. She was already done with half of the destroyed work now that her class rep assignments were Alya and Lila’s problem. Her meetup with Tim Drake was scheduled the following Saturday at Wayne Enterprises in his office. 

Her packages would be arriving a day after her landing, shipped to arrive at that specific date. She also took the horse miraculous and used voyage to the room early this morning and hid the Miracle Box in the room with Trixx on illusions in case of nosy cleaners and Wayzz to shield the box should anyone get past the fox’s illusions. As much as she wanted to take the Miracle Box with her on the plane, she had a bad feeling something would go wrong. So, plan B it was. 

All other things were going to plan, perfectly. 

Kagami, Sabrina, and Chloe gathered with her parents, Jagged, and Penny at the airport to say their goodbyes. 

“Remember to practice your katas,” Kagami reminded, “you still have a long way to go.” 

“And don’t give just anyone your time,” Chloe brushed her hair back, “you need to be authoritative, not a doormat.” 

“Here’s your make up,” Sabrina handed her a small bag, “I wrote the brands down on a paper in there for when you need more.” 

“You remember to call us once you land,” Sabine held onto Tom, “we want to know you’re okay.” 

“And don’t forget to get enough sleep,” Tom added, “you’ll be jetlagged once you get off the plane.” 

“Penny and I’ll be there in a couple of months, Luv,” Jagged smiled, “we’ll meet ya there and catch up. Rock ‘n Roll!” 

Heartfelt goodbyes and farewell hugs later, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was on her plane and for once, letting her rage seeth into a dark aura around her. Gotham was full of angry people, she read, and Damian Wayne specialized using his anger to frighten others into submission. A little practice glaring into a book, Pride and Prejudice, and making the passengers around her shiver in fear without her even looking at them, and Marinette knew she was on the right track with her training. 

After looking out her window to see the Atlantic ocean, she reached for her phone and sent out her orders to her high class and very famous connections. Most were requests for them to read a certain tabloid webpage and sue the source and fake-reporter. Others were texts to the parents of her classmates with school security footage of them bullying her. One, in particular, was filled with copies of Lila’s tales on record with the Ladybog attached. The rest, they were the final verifications that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was no longer taking free commissions. 

Now she just needed to get her own trainer to teach her the ways of cruelty. She was ready for her training to begin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? Is Marinette turning into an Ice Queen yet?


	3. Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glad so many of you like this!

Gotham City. The place is known to everyone in the world for its high crime rate, teetering economy, and little sunlight. Most would look at it and think doom and the end of their lives. 

Marinette? She saw hope and a fresh start the second she stepped off the plane. 

Getting to her room was simple, Wayne Enterprises funded the program and arranged transport to her dormitory. She was given a nice, large room on the top floor nearby the fire escape that was fully furnished with a small but decent kitchen. It had a nice view of the campus and, considering where Marinette’s new persona was heading, it made her feel like she was above everyone in her new school. 

She smiled sincerely the first time in years as she unpacked and planned where everything would go in her new home. The seating area would be where her manikins would go and her ironing table. The kitchen area had a small bartop that would serve as her eating area as she planned to turn the dining space into her sewing, sketching, and planning table. Her bedroom was spacious and would serve well as her study room as well. 

Marinette called her parents once she got comfortable and gave them a video tour of her home. They were happy for her and wished her luck. Kagami and Chloe were the next ones to call, Kagami wishing her luck, and Chloe admitting to her ‘backup’ plan should Damain Wayne refuse to train her. She was thankful for her new friend’s consideration and promised to work everything out. Marinette also warned Chloe of the class’ incoming lawsuits and told her to keep an eye out, which the blond grinned at and thanked her for the entertainment. 

The kwami were happy to follow the guardian anywhere and were thrilled of having a new home to explore, even under the strict rules of not being seen or else be renounced to their jewels. 

Marinette’s packages came in the next morning and she quickly got herself moved in. After arrangements were done, she worked on commissions and later, went out to buy cooking supplies and made herself and the kwamis dinner. 

Going to school was necessary and Marinette steeled herself, remaining emotionless all the way to her homeroom. She greeted herself to the students with as much of an emotionless voice as she could summon and seated herself in the far back, overlooking all the new students she would have to get accustomed to. 

The queen-to-be made her lessons ring true. She made acquaintances over the next six days, not friends. She kept everyone at a distance as she analyzed them, picked at any masks she found, and listened for truth within the gossip. Researched and double-checked her scores, and even then, triple checked. 

Before her meeting with Tim Drake, she knew Damian Wayne was a grade ahead of her, the spitting image of his father, Bruce Wayne, safe his emerald green eyes, accepted no friends other than those close to his family, only known friend for certain was Jothanthan Kent, and hated just about everything other than animals. He was a supporter of animal rights, no-kill shelters, donated to certified and verified animal rescue groups, especially those who protected endangered animals and loved his family despite viewing his adopted older brothers as annoyances. 

Now, she needed to make an arrangement with him through his third oldest brother. 

The front desk staff looked at her scrutinizingly until she pulled out her business card and they instructed her on where to find the young co-CEO’s office. A long elevator flight, a walk through a maze, and some helpful signs later, and MDC was standing in front of the double doors of Timothy Drake-Wayne’s office. 

Being professional as possible she firmly yet politely knocked on the door, heard a faint ‘come in’, and entered with the grace of a queen as Chloe had drilled into her during training. 

The young man was a standard adopted Wayne as the public media states: blue eyes with black hair. He was a good some inches taller than her, granted she never grew more than five feet in height. He was clearly excited to meet her and a flash of surprise in his eyes passed as he realized how young she was. But it was squashed as he watched her walk into his office with a stone professional expression and walked like she owned the world. 

“MDC?” Tim tentatively asked, not wanting to sound rude. 

“You had another five o’clock, Drake-Wayne?” Marinette emotionlessly countered. 

“N-No,” Tim nervously chuckled as she sat in his guest seat like it was her throne and he sat in his desk with his body twitching like crazy, “no, I just never-er- well you are, eh-heh, so~, how was your trip to Gotham?” 

“Decent,” Marinette replied, “but back to business Drake-Wayne-” 

“Tim,” he smiled, “please, call me Tim.” 

That was a mistake, considering the room suddenly got colder and her blue eyes seemed to be fighting an inner fire that looked ready to burn him alive. No one interrupts a queen. He learned that fairly quickly. 

“Drake-Wayne,” the queen stated and continued, “as you should already know, only a select few are chosen to wear my works, and only those I allow.” 

The CEO nodded, too scared to use his voice or twitch if fear of activating her wrath. Or screaming like a little girl. 

“That being said,” Marinette pulled out her personal file on him and placed it on the desk, its contents filled with all the work Tim Drake had done over the years of his time as CEO, “you do reach my expectations. You don’t associate with shady or suspicious business, you only have honest workers, you yourself have worked hard to reach where you are, and I have not found a single lie of your business or accomplishments anywhere I could find.” 

Tim breathed a sigh of relief, who knew being honest and raised under Bruce’s strict expectations would be the thing to get him on OK terms with his favorite designer. 

“However,” the CEO stiffened, terrified of what that word could lead to as Marinette continued, “there is one final question I have. And I expect you not. To. Lie.” 

The rage in her eyes was enough to make him nod frantically. He’d reveal he was Red Robin and Bruce was Batman if she asked, he did not want that rage unleashed on him. And he thought Batman was scary on a bad day. He was a bat-pup compared to the flames of hell this girl had. 

“Why?” Tim blinked and Marinette spoke again, “Why work so hard? So honest? You had many easier options to choose, many simpler avenues to take, yet you chose to remain honest and legal. Even when you could have easily covered everything and anything up. So, why?” 

It was a test, Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne knew it, he saw that same look in Bruce’s eyes a million times before. She wanted the truth, so he gave it. 

“I was raised in Gotham and even as a kid, saw first hand what corruption and lies did to it. But then I heard of Batman,” Tim gained a fond look in his eyes like he was a child reliving happy memories, “he was scary and honestly intense sometimes, but he was justice, truth, and hope for Gotham. He may not have been welcomed with open arms at first, but he was an inspiration. One man alone taking on Gotham’s problems, to help and fix it. I wanted to do something like that. Even if it was hard to do, I wanted to follow his example. And well, here I am.” 

Marinette looking into his blue eyes, searching for any form of lies or deceit, grateful to find nothing. She nodded and gently smiled, “Good. You passed. Congratulations, my newest client.” 

To see the young CEO jump up from his chair and do a weirdly hilarious happy dance was too good. She couldn’t help but smile and lightly chuckle as he blushed at the realization he had an audience. 

“You have every reason to be happy,” Marinette gave a kind queenly smile but changed it into one of hidden cruelty, “however… I have a deal I would like to make with you.” 

Tim gulped and sat down straight in his chair, bracing himself for anything. 

“I am willing to do a full redesign on your entire wardrobe,” Tim’s jaw practically hit the floor, “if,” he took a deep breath as Marinette smiled, “you arrange for your youngest brother, Damian Wayne, to teach me all he can on being an ‘Ice Royal’.”

* * *

“And I must entertain you like this, why?” the Ice Prince of Gotham glared at Marinette, who thankfully didn’t flinch. She owned Chloe and Kagami extra dresses, for their hard training was paying off. 

“Because,” Marinette began, emotionlessly, “you get to imagine the peasants and imbeciles I will be wreaking havoc on with your training, and you’ll get a proper wardrobe that will meet up to your standers. Whoever made your suit was clearly on his last brain cell, if he wasn’t already brain dead.” 

The two had a stare-off, with the Wayne family watching on bated breath. Tim worried he had made the biggest mistake in his life. Jason was concerned the pixie girl with fire eyes would be able to kick the demon spawn’s butt without getting hurt. Dick was fidgeting in place, worried about what would happen if Damian did agree and if Damian didn’t. Bruce sighed, pinching his nose and wondering where he went wrong with Damian that someone wanted to be his copy. Alfred… the butler already knew what the outcome was before they did. 

“I’ll agree to this,” Damian stated, adding, “if you also be my date to the Wayne gala and keep harlots from getting anywhere near me.” 

“They wouldn’t dare,” Marinette smirked coldly, “after all, it is rude to make passes on a gentleman already entertaining a lady.” 

Many high-status young teens shivered for some reason while others broke down sobbing. Unknowingly because their chances on Damian Wayne were shattered in that instant.

* * *

The following day, Felix Graham de Vanily finally tracked Marinette down. Arrangements were made to be put in the same homeroom together and they met up with Damian after school. 

The two Ice Princes agreed to co-train Marinette as they got along with each other and soon became friends through mutual understanding of needing to be seen as superior. 

Marinette’s self-defense training was also taken into account, and it wasn’t long before there was a scheduled time for the two boys to go against Marinette and then at each other. The three bonded more to the point Bruce and Alfred had private rooms on stand by. Alfred went so far as to add a room for Marinette to work on her commissions and the wardrobe redesigns she was making. One more for Felix, another for Damian, and the one she was paying Tim with. 

Outside, Mairentte was getting colder, even as she smiled. Students quickly learned she was not easy to get close to or make friends with, though she did show slivers of kindness. The school respected and liked her because she brought macaroons to classes before tests, fixed the school’s cafeteria food by taking it up with the school board and principal, and winning. That was not mentioning the fabulous redesigns on their school uniforms, or the respect teachers held for her to the point they let up on harsh punishments. But she was also getting famous because she was close to the local and foreign Ice Princes. 

She was seen on Gotham Academy campus with Damian Wayne and Felix Graham de Vanily so much, that students began to piece together they were getting another Ice Royal that the two cold princes seemed to be creating. 

Needless to say, Marinette was respected and treated like royalty within three months’ time. 

Jagged and Penny were thrilled to see her and requested commissions for Jagged’s tour when he came to Gotham finally, all based on the city’s vigilantes/heroes. Marinette was thrilled with the idea and sketched all possible designs that night. 

MDC became even more famous as her works were now also seen on Tim, Damian Wayne, and Felix Graham de Vanily. Eventually, the rest of the Waynes were seen wearing MDC originals, not long before Jagged rocked out in her works. The prices skyrocketed and a select few new clients began to get their hands on her masterpieces. 

Then Gotham and England went wild when the announcement was made the two Ice Princes were going to the Wayne gala with the same date, calling her their ‘Ice Queen’ to save the surprise for the gala. 

Oh, how the world was screaming to know who the lucky lady was. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone wanna take a guess at what's happening over in Paris?


	4. Paris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many kudos and comments! Thank you all!

Back in Paris, France, things were going downhill for Marinette’s ex-friends and classmates. 

It had been a shock and relief to the class and the teacher that Marinette up and left without a word. Most celebrated after school while fawning over Lila. But their happiness came to an abrupt halt the next day when police personally visited each of their families. 

All the students of Miss Bustiers’ class, safe Chloe and Sabrina, were charged with breaking and entering and vandalism. Sabrina had the bright idea to ask her Daddy if the street cameras meant to track akumas could be used to find out who broke into the bakery during the crime. They did not disappoint and all guilty students were charged with the students getting severely punished. 

It helped that their bullying was also punished, as Marinette had requested Sabrina and Chloe to give the Chief her folder of printed hate texts and willing confirmations of their destruction. It added extra to the charges and proof of their harassment and bullying. All their actions were well known by all necessary parties. 

That was all after their parents all got texts from Marinette with multiple security footage videos from the school’s cameras of their actions towards the girl. A lot of them were punished for the whole year and taken out of their extracurriculars to make up for their decisions. All of them tried to defend themselves by calling Marinette a bully and stating all the 'horrible' things she did to Lila. 

But that all changed when there was a parent meeting at the school, requested by Miss Rossi, Lila’s mother. 

Marinette had sent the ambassador a link to Alya’s blog with various recordings and a request for her to read and listen to everything about her daughter and asked what was true. The ambassador was so angry, she dragged her daughter to the school and confronted the principal and teacher on everything her daughter had been doing. Once all the lies were exposed, the mother took matters into her own hands and confronted all of Lila’s followers and their parents, and told the cold, honest truth. 

And just two days later, Alya and Lila were pressed with lawsuits and charges against them about the Ladyblog. 

Every person Lila had lied about knew of her and wanted her to pay. It got so bad, that all the added lawsuits and charges made it possible for her to be sent to juvenile detention, aka, teenager jail. 

Her allowance saved from working for Gabriel Agreste only bought off a little bit of her time, the liar couldn’t get out of it, especially since she was now fired from her job. Gabriel refused to allow the girl to associate herself with his son now that the toxic actions she indulged herself in were brought to light. He went so far as to make a public announcement of her termination and informed all other design and modeling brands to watch out for her. 

Once Lila finished her time, her mother was shipping her off to a military boarding school that specialized with problem girls. Lila would never be able to lie again and may never be free to do as she pleased for as long as she lived. And with her newly stocked record, she would be miserable and suffer, even years beyond her graduation. 

Alya was permanently banned from ever entering the world of news ever again and had to work to pay off the lawsuits. The worst part for the journalist was that every person had the same order after the charges: the Ladyblog was to be destroyed. Alya was in tears as she deleted the blog and all the videos with Lila and her lies. She was set to take therapy that would help her not cling to every source of information like it was a fact. 

Bustier and Damocles were eventually fired, the parents were outraged they let all this happen under their noses and wanted them as far away from the children as possible. Especially since Bustier encouraged or ignored the bullying for so long. Ms. Mendeleiev was later promoted and became the principal. 

Chloe soon returned her reign as the class representative with Sabrina as her deputy. The blond made sure to rub it in their faces that ‘With so many being too busy after school to make up for… unfortunate circumstances… all planning for a school trip must be canceled. Especially since we hardly made any money under the previous class rep’s guidance’. 

While the new teacher did not allow bullying in class or on campus, Chloe made sure to cross each of the students’ paths while they worked to make up for what they did. Happily mentioning that Marinette was doing so well in the foreign exchange program. 

Suddenly, they couldn’t go to dances or parties, both because they were busy and they had no one to make their outfits. 

The plays were all canceled because the main cast was driven down by jobs they couldn’t get out of. 

They were broke to the point they couldn’t do the things they were aspiring to do. 

Nino no longer had time for gigs. 

Kim was forbidden from the swimming team. 

Alix was banished from skating for a year. 

Max’s tournaments on chess, science, mathematics, and robotics were canceled. 

Kitty Section had to disband. 

Nathanial couldn’t find time to draw and was forced to stop working with Marc. 

And Adrien…. Adrien was on house arrest. Forbidden from leaving, calling his friends, and even modeling now that all of Paris knew his classmates were criminals. 

And that was that. 

They couldn’t go back. 

On brighter news, Chloe and Kagami became close friends and often met up together. They bonded over Adrien’s foolishness and stupidity while trading bets which classmates would do what when Marinette revealed to the world she was MDC. 

Luka was quickly taken in by Jagged Stone after Kitty Section divided, Marinette asked him to listen to Luka’s music and the rock star practically adopted him. In a matter of weeks, Luka was joining Jagged on his tour to Gotham. 

Ladybug also took a drastic change. Gone was the jumpsuit, Ladybug was now armored and war-ready. Her arms and legs held more black and she gained functioning wings to fly over Paris with. She became strategic and stern, finishing off akumas and amoks in record times. 

Chat Noir was concerned about his lady’s sudden change, then clueless when Ladybug made Wasp and Fengbao as permanent holders. Ladybug began showing up less and less, leaving Wasp and Fengbao to encase the butterflies in Chinese jars with glowing runes on them. When he asked, the newest girls stated Ladybug was busy planning for the defeat of Hawkmoth and they were to deliver the akumas to her at set times, as civilians. 

Chat was, of course, outraged and demanded to know why they got to know her secret identity and he didn’t. She emotionlessly stated he was careless and childish with his power. His tardiness and lack of care made her untrusting of him and she demanded he to begin to get serious, or she would take his miraculous. 

Wasp was Chloe in a new, darker costume with her own transparent wings, antenna, a black jacket with honey-gold fluff, a dark yellow jumpsuit with black stripes, and yellow combat boots with black laces. 

Fengbao was Kagami, also in a new look. Her fire-red costume took after a Chinese warrior with hints of blue, yellow, and white. She also gained a tail, much to their confusion at first, until she found a new balance and uses with it in battle. 

Marinette had looked over all the grimoire had to offer and found a potion that would keep akumas from coming near people who drank it and gave it to the girls so they could help keep Paris safe while she was in Gotham. 

She brought them both in on everything and they quickly agreed to help her. After everything they did, they were thankful to be given second and even third chances to do right. Chloe especially was in tears as Marinette told them everything. Even with taking bitter potions every day to keep themselves from being puppets for Hawkmoth, they were grateful to be heroes in Ladybug’s place. 

Marinette had time to think of her hero work while in Gotham as well, and after some long, hard thinking, she decided being the Guardian of the Miraculous was far more important than being Ladybug. True, as a Ladybug wielder she needed to cleanse the butterflies, but it was honestly unnecessary for her herself to go into battle. She had all the tools to ensure she was never found, the miraculous were protected, and she had trustworthy allies to fight in her place for her. 

Kagami and Chloe were to slowly take the place of Ladybug in Paris with Marinette overseeing their work and taking the butterflies for cleansing. With the horse miraculous, they could meet at random places at any time and release the butterflies without Hawkmoth ever knowing anything. 

Ladybug would slowly disappear while the Guardian would become a secretive side player drawing plans and making orders for the Bee and Dragon. Marinette planned the get the ring from Chat Noir in due time because of his childish ways and obsessive behavior towards Ladybug. But she patiently waited for the right moment to land her blow. 

It was ironic. Marinette was striving to transform into a queen and Ladybug also took the role. The once active heroine was now making the calls and giving orders from a secret place while her warriors fought the battle from a distance. A part of her felt guilty for doing this but her loyal friends were quick to reassure her it was necessary and welcomed. The two girls were proud to fight in her honor and grateful to be trusted enough to do so. 

But soon, Marinette planned to show off her crown to the world and make her enemies tremble in fear of her. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In short: the class became miserable and fell to pieces. 
> 
> What do you think? Was juvie too much?


	5. Tough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glad so many of you like this!

Winter break came and downtime was in order. 

Jagged and Penny extended their stay a bit so they could keep Marinette company, but the Waynes were generous enough to open their home to her and Felix for the solstice. 

The three Ice Royals spent most of their time together during the break, whether it was Ice Training, martial arts practice, fencing, or talking while Marinette multitasked her commissions. 

Within the walls of Wayne Manor, Damian and Felix slowly became more human around Marinette, who showed her kinder side to the Waynes, Felix, and her honorary Uncle and Aunt. 

It got better when Chloe convinced her Daddy to let her and Audrey Bourgeois spend her winter break in Gotham and Kagami managed to do the same with her mother. 

The three girls reunited happily and the manor was extended to Marinette’s first teachers as well. 

Chloe and Felix got reacquainted and bonded over Adrien’s stupidity while Kagami bonded well with Damian during sword practice. 

The two girls and their mothers were offered invites to the Wayne gala as well, which all four of them were shocked of but happily accepted. 

Marinette declared she would be making all the girls’ dresses as she had the perfect designs in mind, and after some arguing, Audrey, the Style Queen, caved in. After all, she was getting a free MDC original, how could she pass the opportunity? 

Soon, the five young teens were spending all their time together in the Wayne Manor and were hardly seen apart. 

This led to them spending private talks together on anything and everything they could complain about or compare with. Many stories were shared, private gossip was traded, future plans brought up, and personal desires were out in the open. 

On one particular day, the Cold Quintents were gathered in a seating room with Marinette’s mail piled on the coffee table with her Paris phone out (she got a new one after she moved to Gotham for her work and made sure everyone that mattered knew about it while leaving her brainless ex-friends to fill her old phone as they pleaded), open to the messages pouring in every minute. All were from her ex-friends and former classmates, begging forgiveness, pleading her return, asking tons of questions they didn’t need answers to in her books, and requesting friendships. 

Marinette looked disgustedly over everything on the sofa with Chloe on her right and Kagami on her left, both equally disgusted and offended by the pile. Damian sat on an armchair on the right side of the table and Felix claimed the matching one on the left. Both boys glared at the letters and texts so much they could have set them all aflame. 

Marinette took the letter on top of the pile, the one from Alya, which was certain to be a copy of all the others from the ex-blogger. Filled with sorries and declarations of her promises to change if she came back to Paris. 

Chloe and Kagami shared scoffs and loathing expressions as Marinette took a deep breath and tossed the letter, quite accurately, into the heart of the roaring fireplace in front of them without care. 

Marinette looked over her friends in the room and calmly stated, 

“Ever since I was younger, my dear parents found, 

you must find your way up higher through humble brows.” 

The bluenette glared at the letters as she said, 

“I made friends once to please, but then my senses came, 

I must make friends for the status of my family’s name.” 

She smirked as she raised two fingers, 

“On to friendship number two, 

I knew what I had to do. 

My late friends broke off in an hour or two.

Solved problem number one, then to problem number two,” 

She wrinkled her nose disgustedly and glared into the fire, 

“The tear-eyes little vixen with a loathsome point of view.” 

Marinette closed her eyes and nonchalantly gestured a hand in the air, 

“Would I shred her family name? 

No, I let her keep her stay, 

She wanted my position, so class rep she was made.” 

Chloe scoffed and turned her head away and added, 

“She was lazy.” 

Kagami rolled her eyes and corrected, 

“She was crazy.” 

Chloe, with a wicked grin, stated, 

“She was tightening her own vice.” 

Marinette shook her head sadly, 

“She was recklessly naive,” 

The bluenette smirked vengefully as she declared, 

“So she had to pay the price.” 

Marinette smiled evilly, 

“To her mom, I gave it all, every tale and every lie.” 

She tilted her head and placed a hand on her chest, looking regretful and guilty, 

“I could have torn her out, but I’m compassionate and kind.” 

Chloe and Kagami both put a hand on her shoulders and sighed, 

“Mari, your heart’s too big for you.” 

She gave her friends a grateful smile, 

“I knew what I had to do.” 

The designer sighed and straightened her skirt as her friends crossed their arms, “After all, difficult peasants will take advantage of your good nature.” 

She smirked and took the letter from Ambassador Rossi out with the copies of her daughter’s juvenile photos and placed them on top of the pile, 

“So you lock them up, throw away the key. 

There’s one on every corner street.” 

Kagami huffed and looked away from the pictures of Lila, 

“Ungrateful.” 

Chloe nodded and glared at the paper, 

“Hateful.” 

The two girls shared angered expressions as they stated, 

“Vile too.” 

They looked softly over Marinette and frowned, 

“The things she put you through.” 

Marinette took out the copy of ambassador Rossi’s application for Lila’s transfer into the chosen military school, 

“Send them off so they know their place. 

Then they’re absent without a trace.” 

She looked up at Damian then to Felix, 

“Maybe you’d call it cruel but, others would call it love. 

Tough. Love.” 

Marinette sighed and gazed into the fire, “Is it wrong that I feel better knowing all of them won’t ever be happy in their lives?” 

“Oh, no,” Felix waved off, “those bonds are quite entertaining when you’re little. But then you grow up, and realize everything.” 

The blond boy shook his head, 

“I never needed friendships, life was better on my own.” 

He rolled his eyes tiredly, 

“All the begging, nagging, surged as I had grown.” 

He rested his elbow on an armrest and leaned his head on his fist, 

“But then I heard of jewels, passed down from my family tree. 

My mother failed to take them, so the task was left to me.” 

Felix frowned bitterly, 

“My uncle had them both, so some bonding was in order. 

My stupid cousin, while annoying, was closest to the border.” 

He scoffed at memories of his time with Adrien, 

“Family time, and stakes turned high, 

But against my better judgment, I caved once or twice.” 

He straightened his back and glared at the flames, 

“As teenagers, we’ve desired to not stop until we’ve won. 

But patience is a virtue, and we can have a little fun.” 

He glanced at Marinette with a playfully evil smile, 

“A bit of guilt, a lot of force, cold truth to shatter lies, 

It may all be a gamble, but you have to throw the dice.” 

Felix shrugged as he smirked, 

“They only have themselves to blame. 

They all should know the risk in games.” 

He raised a hand and crushed a fist for all to see, 

“So break their souls and they’ll fall in line. 

There’s one end and it is divine.” 

Damian nodded, 

“Peasants are vile.” 

Marinette smiled, 

“Spoiled too.” 

The three Ice royals locked eyes, 

“But we know what to do.” 

Damian sat straighter with his chin high and fingers locked over his lap, 

“Govern them with a heart of stone.” 

Marinette evilly smirked as she looked at Lila’s pictures and application, 

“Lock them up, so they’re all alone.” 

Felix smiled and shrugged, 

“Maybe you’d call it cruel but, others would call it love. 

Tough. Love.” 

The blond price leaned into his chair tiredly, “In the end, I only got one of my family’s jewels. And Adrien still remained the brainless idiot he was born.” 

Damian frowned, “Such peons think the world owes them something when it doesn’t.” 

Damian lowered his head, 

“For a time, I ruled my life with a heavy hand. 

But some did not listen and thought themselves grand.” 

He locked up into the fire with a frown, 

“I never cared for them, so of course they had to fall. 

But some still try to block my way by pretending to stand tall.” 

Scoffing, he closed his eyes, 

“Some were ugly, most were dumb and grotesquely self-confident. 

They had no structure in their lives, and weren’t realistic.” 

He glared at the fire with rage and spat, 

“I gave them time and took away their color blinding views. 

But then I caught one claiming there was nothing I could do.” 

Damian wrinkled his nose in disgust, 

“Me? Was I to stand by and wait? 

With those words, he dared say, oh, he had sealed his fate. 

He had to go, and so he did and you know what they say: 

Training every day keeps your enemies away.” 

Damian looked over the room, 

“Don’t be fooled by counterfeit smiles.” 

Marinette nodded and smirked, 

“Give an inch,” 

Felix and Damian returned her expression while joining, 

“And they’ll run for miles.” 

They all grinned happily as all five had the same thought, 

“Our idea for a happy life, 

Is one where foes live in strife.” 

Felix smirked, 

“In dark,” 

Damian returned the expression, catching his train of thought, 

“Depressing,” 

Marinette smiled happily, as she finished, 

“Abandonment.” 

The five raised their wine glasses, cheering, 

“Now let’s all drink to that!” 

Chloe smugly grinned as she stuck her head in that air, 

“Call us wicked.” 

Kagami showed a small smile of evil, 

“Call us mean.” 

Marinette nodded smiling contently, 

“Cruel and everything in-between.” 

Felix waved a hand in the air, 

“Some may think it’s unjust.” 

Damian smirked, 

“Turning their dreams to dust.” 

The three royal locked eyes, 

“This is what we call love. 

Tough, love.” 

Chloe and Kagami crackled with the fire as Marinette shared evil expressions with her two boyfriends.

* * *

Meanwhile, Tim stood stone stiff in the hall outside their sitting room, hearing everything and wondering, not for the first or last time, if he made a mistake introducing Marinette to Damian. 

Well, at least he got his MDC originals before the world burned in frozen ice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ever heard Tough Love in Villians Lair? Well, I did and this became cannon. 
> 
> Do you think it fits? Let me know down below!


	6. Gala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Empire is by Beth Crowley, I do not own the song.
> 
> This is Marinette's dress to the gala- https://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/auroralynne/marinette-bluebell-by-aurora-lynne

The end of winter and beginning of spring were normally quiet times, but this one year, things were different. 

The Wayne gala had gotten a new level of fame as Damian and Felix were bringing the mysterious Ice Queen. Topped with the fact that Audrey Bourgeois, Tomoe Tsurugi, their daughters, Jagged Stone, Clara Nightengale, and many more famous people were arriving, no one wanted to miss the action. 

Those that couldn’t come were watching the live red carpet on TV as they waited for nightfall. 

Marinette braced herself as the limo driven by Alfred came closer to the gala. 

Damian placed a hand on hers and smiled, “Don’t worry, Habibti. You’ll be great.” 

Felix placed his hand on her opposite shoulder with a reassuring smile, “He’s right, Majesty, you already have the script. If you need a boost of confidence, just imagine you’re former classmates watching everything and being crushed.” 

Marinette smiled and took a deep breath, “Thank you.” 

Her two princes smiled and the limo stopped, signaling their arrival. Watching all the Waynes exit first before Damian and Felix stood on both sides of the door and held their hands out for Marinette. 

‘It’s time,’ Marinette thought as she took their hands and was enveloped in bright, flashing lights.

* * *

“Waynes! Who are you wearing?!” 

“MDC,” Damian stated proudly, nodding his head to the bluenette princess between him and Felix, “our Ice Queen was gracious enough to make all our attires for tonight. Including the dresses for the Bourgeois’, Tsurugis, Jagged Stone, and Clara Nightengale, who are all close friends of hers.” 

That got a new wave of camera flashes as Marinette smiled professionally yet coldly alongside the Ice Princes. 

“MDC! What’s it like to be the date of both Damian Wayne and Felix Graham de Vanily?” 

“A dream come true,” she answered honestly in such a way she seemed to be glowing, “I’m profoundly grateful.” 

“MDC! What inspired your dress?” 

“Hawkmoth,” Marinette turned stone serious which made the audience freeze a moment, “the villain of Paris that possess civilians using corrupted butterflies. He almost took me when I was distressed by my former classmates’ destruction of my work after breaking into my home. But the color was my choice, as on that day, I declared I would be an Ice Queen and those fools would feel my wrath.” 

“If your old classmates are watching right now, what do you have to say to them?” 

Marinette’s coldly evil smile may have frozen hell over tenfold, “Never take a queen’s kindness for granted. Else you will bow before an Evil Queen of Mean.” 

She said no more as her dates escorted her down the red carpet, people scurrying to take pictures and get over their shock. 

It was clear for everyone to see, MDC was a queen, and someone, somewhere, was unlucky enough to be the source of her rage.

* * *

The gala was in full swing and by far turned out to be the best yet. 

Girls that once draped and faked their way over to Damian and Felix in the past were now keeping distance, especially after one got too close and had to leave the room to cry. Marinette’s glare was nothing to scoff at now. 

Chloe and Kagami joined the three Ice Royals and the Cold Quints soon were in their own little world while the rest of the room somehow become isolated from it. 

The best part was when Clara Nightengale made a last-minute decision, ~~set-up~~ , and asked Marinette to do a song for the audience. 

She tried to refuse, but Damian, Felix, Chloe, and Kagami all asked her to try and she couldn’t refuse her true friends. 

Thankfully, the song was perfect and her performance was live. 

Marinette took the stage, looking into the barrel of the camera, picturing all her former friends and Lila gapping at her, and sent a message through the song. 

_“I… can hear the whispers in my sleep. The voices telling me this should be mine.”_

It was hers, the audience, the fame, the jealousy, the friends, and the ties. It was all hers. Lila tried to claim it was not by spinning pretty stories and tall tales, making her the perfect girl, loved by everyone. 

_“You, you claim you trust me. You think I don’t see the doubt behind your eyes?”_

Everyone betrayed her. Came to her with their problems and sorrows. Then the vixen came and ruined everything. Or maybe she fixed it? Who cared now, it was water under the bridge. But that doesn’t mean she can’t make her intention clear. They once knew her, now they didn’t. So they can stop trying. 

_“I’m gonna build me an EMPIRE.”_

This was her rule, her kingdom, and all could see it. 

_“And it’s lonely at the top.”_

She was once flooded with friends who liked her, scheduled so tight she would feel guilty for missing out on get-togethers, hangouts, outings, and all things friends did. But now she was reversed to a select few friends. And it was far better than anything they could have offered her. 

_“But madness and greatness can both share a face,”_

She smiled coldly while gently running a finger down the side of her own face. She would be everything. No matter where they turned or ran too, they would see her everywhere. They will always remember what they did. There was no escape. 

_“And nobody will ever convince me to STOP.”_

They may beg her, some may be foolish enough to try and stop her reign. But it was too late. She has come too far. Even Satan would struggle to put her down or black her path. This was her life now. 

_“It’s my DESTINY.”_

A stroke of fate? Something that was meant to be? Was this how things were supposed to play out? As far as Marinette was concerned, it was. 

_“I was born to play this game.”_

Lila thought she won, she was wrong. The fox was no more than a pawn that failed to reach the end of the board. She played like she was already a queen. And she failed. After all, the smallest piece only moves one place at a time. And Marinette’s pawn was closer to the end of the board then Lila’s ever was. Or ever would be. Checkmate, Lila Rossi, checkmate. 

_“So fear me or love me. It’s all the same.”_

Nothing mattered now. She had everything and was set for more. Marinette would gain new enemies, haters, different Lilas playing at her. She would crush them. Her fans would fawn over her. The loyal knights and soldiers will come for her and swear their loyalty. She would rule fairly and kindly. Only to transform to her evil side when her newest foe would dare point their blade at her. They would suffer, her people would thrive. 

_“Try… to find a chain that I won’t break. A price I wouldn’t pay for what I want.”_

It was a dare if any took the bait. The begging peons of her childhood would crawl back to her. Using seemingly low tactics to make her revert back. But anything they had on or for her was dead and gone. They could suffer in HELL for all she cared for them. If they reached her level or some below her, they had better respect her. Or face the consequences. She had nothing to lose, they had everything to lose. It would always be a checkmate. Marinette was thorough in her planning, never doubt it. 

_“So you can call me calculating.”_

She was, it was how she survived. Nothing was overlooked. Anyone who thought that was wrong or crazy was clearly not thinking right. Or at all. If they even had a brain. 

_“You can say I’ve lost my mind.”_

They would. Claim she was different, not the same. They would be right. That was the whole point. But unlike them, she was sure of her future. Those low lives? They’re the crazy ones. Look at where their stupidity led them to. 

_“You can throw me to the wolves.”_

She smirked into the camera, knowing in her gut they were watching as she stated with unwavering confidence, 

_“I’ll be alright.”_

Lifting her head like a queen, she looked over her audience, her subjects and noblemen and women. They were watching her, and she stated with a regional tone, 

_“I’m gonna build me an EMPIRE.”_

Marinette looked over to Felix and Damian, both had their mouths gapped open and softly growing blushes. 

_“And it’s lonely at the top.”_

The queen returned her confident expression to the camera with a wicked smirk. 

_“But madness and greatness can both share a face. And nobody will ever convince me to STOP.”_

The spread her hand out wide, embracing everything. She was queen, an empress, this was her kingdom, her empire. 

_“It’s my DESTINY. I was born to play this game. So, fear me or love me. It’s all the same.”_

She sealed her raging eyes on the camera, picturing her ex-friends standing in their comfortable sofas and bedrooms, watching her as she made her announcement to the world. All eyes were on her. No one would dare look away. She was in control. 

_“Just one word, I’ll let the world BURN.”_

The fire in her eyes was enough proof to anyone it was a fact. 

_“Just. One. Word. I’ll. Let. The. World. BURN.”_

Cross her, dare her, play her, she will. This was a warning to those who would dare. 

The music played on, with Marinette never taking her eyes off the camera. She was smiling, but it was frozen. So cold it burned if you looked too long. But no one could look away. Those that left the wrath and rage were an ocean away but suffered in fear. They all felt it. They all trembled. As any peasant should in the presence of a queen. 

_“I’m gonna build me an EMPIRE.”_

Her evil smirk could make devils jealous. Her confidence was immeasurable. Her rule was certified. Everything in this world was hers now. No one dared to deny her it. 

_“And it’s lonely at the top.”_

She looked over her four friends, two girls, and two boys. All of them proud of her, cared for her, loved her, and were loyal to no one but her. Yes, it was lonely, but a queen always allowed exceptions. 

_“But madness and greatness can both share a face. And nobody will ever convince me to STOP. It’s my DESTINY. I was born to play this game. So, fear me or love me.”_

Marinette stared down the barrel of the camera once more, stating more for a handful of individuals than anyone else, 

_“It’s all the same.”_

She gave a small but wickedly evil smile, half-closing her eyes, a dark gleam reflected the cold blue of her irises, and sweetly said it again. 

_“So fear me or love me… It’s all the same.”_

When the music stopped, there was a pause of silence before an uproar of applause. Loud enough that it could be heard blocks down the street.

* * *

In juvenile detention, Lila watched everything with her fellow teen criminals and paled to the point she might have been sick. 

After everything, she thought she had won. 

But Marinette was stating a fact in that song. She won, not her. 

Lila made a small kingdom of her class and pushed Marinette out of it just to make her suffer. 

When she came to the school, she thought Marinette was nothing more than a helpless bunny, and she was a fox. Lila thought for sure Marinette was caught in her fangs, dead to the world she created as she was free of the nuisance. 

But Marinette was never a bunny. The bluenette was wolf in sheep’s clothing. The fiercest lioness in the pride. An alpha with a firm grip on her territory. And if she couldn’t have it, no one could. 

Lila dared to play a game already in another’s favor. Falling for easy victories like they were grand battles. 

Now, the vixen was captured, muzzled, and scheduled for training. Marinette did well in making her suffer. 

Lila wanted the class. Marinette let her have it and upped her game. Now, Lila was in Marinette’s world, her empire. And she was sentenced to eternal imprisonment. 

How could she have been so stupid? 

She fell asleep that night crying. 

She lost. 

And there was no getting out of it this time. 

Lila was caught in her lies. 

And she would never be able to find another to trust her word again. 

It was an order from the new Queen. 

The Empress of Evil and Mean, Marinette. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well~? 
> 
> Marinette had made her crowning, Lila fully realizes how doomed she is. 
> 
> Did this turn out okay?


	7. Kings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you like this next one!
> 
> Kings & Queens belongs to Ava Max.

Marinette was conflicted, uncertain, and frustrated. 

Why? Because right now, both Jagged Stone and Clara Nightengale were begging her to sing in a music video. 

Apparently, her singing at the gala got so much hype, that people of the music division were praying she do another song. 

People had gone so far as to ask Jagged and Clara if they could talk her into it. And the two singers had been considering it for a while. 

The cherry on top? Her honorary Uncle and Cousin wanted Damian and Felix in the video too. 

And her date mates actually seemed to be considering it! 

“Please, luv!” Jagged was in his knees with his hands clapped and head low, “It’ll be so rockin’!” 

Marinette was struggling not to falter her stern face but was quickly loosing, “Uncle Jagged, I don’t think-” 

“We’ll let you design all the outfits!” Clara pulled out their wild card, “It can be a debut of everything MDC is capable of in her most regal works!” 

The bluenette froze, eyes wide and mouth tightly closed for two minutes before sighing, “I’m guessing the theme is royalty?”

* * *

The first lines were sung without music. The other singers were all young teens, chosen by Marinette herself after personally interviewing every candidate. All were hard-working, honest girls with dreams and strong desires to make them real. 

_“If all of the kings had their queens on the throne, we would pop champagne and raise a toast!”_

Marinette stood in the center of may well-dressed queens, each one had a one-of-a-kind MDC original made to suit each individual girl alone. 

And Marinette? She stood in the center, on a silver pedestal. Sitting upon a silver and royal blue throne. Her dress was black, with golden, complex embroidery on every inch of the cloth, from the hem of the skirt to the ends of her sleeves. It’s bright shine popped out in the lighting and dark canvas of pitch black. 

On her head was a pure gold crown, encasing three black diamonds. One was cut into an upside-down heart in the center of her crown while the other two were on either side of it, cut into teardrop shapes, slanting their curved ends towards the ends of her crown. 

_“To all of the queens, who are fighting alone, baby, you’re not dancin’ on your own!”_

She chose this song for that line and more. But mostly for that line. She wanted to make a statement to the world. A message to all those like her old self. 

Like the girls singing that line. They were all like the past Marinette. Hoping and praying to accomplish their dreams. Making their way up by starting from the bottom. 

This song was for them as much as it was for her. 

_“Can’t live without me, you wanna, but you can’t, no, no, no!”_

She waved her pointer finger at the camera, the words and actions were a message to her old friends. 

And a tale of her old life. How everyone scrambled to get to her because they all knew she was good at what she did. When they cast her out, they thought they didn’t need her anymore. Now that they didn’t have her, they were lost and unable to do her work by themselves. 

_“Think it’s funny, but honey, you can’t run this show on your own.”_

They laughed at her. Called her names. But they forgot they needed her. They thought they could do it. Replace her with someone else. But they couldn’t and can’t. She was rare, special, generous. They forgot that. 

_“I can feel my body shake, there’s only so much I can take,”_

They made her feel little, defenseless, weak. Lila turned her into their personal punching bag. But even the strongest metal can be worn down. They should have known that. She smirked at the thought of their foolishness. 

_“I’ll show you how a REAL queen behaves! Oh!”_

She smirked and stood from her throne, raising her right hand, turning her head to the left side as if she were denying something without thought. Her fellow queens regally spun around her pedestal as two dark figures came into view. 

_“No damsel in distress, don’t need to save me,”_

She grinned as her kings came into the lighting, standing behind her and glaring into the camera as if to glare into the hearts of her former friends. Damian on her right and Felix on her left, both dressed as kings in royal suits. They both had crowns made of black titanium, with green gems that matched their eyes encased on the metal. Emeralds for Damian, Peridots for Felix. 

Their attire was golden, the pants plain but their jackets had similar complex embroidery to Maineette’s dress but in black. And they both had black sashes with the same embroidery in green, making them stand out with the jewels in their crowns. 

_“Once I start breathing fire, you can’t tame me,”_

Her eyes burned the camera, as did her kings’. She had rage and flames to spare and show off. The message was clear, she was a torpedo of fire. No one could douse her heat from hell. 

_“And you may think I’m weak without a sword,”_

A wicked grin crawled on her face as she pictured her ex-classmates’ faces as they realized she was not someone they could easily take out. When they were drowned in charges and lawsuits. When their parents had the truth straight from her. When their world came crashing down at her decree. 

_“But if I had one, it’d be bigger than yours.”_

She bet they tried to get out of it. Use their connections and wild cards. Only to find out they were all useless and pathetically unprepared. Their little weapons were nothing against her. The best they could have done was slow the inevitable by a few seconds. 

Her kings moved to stand beside her and glare while she grinned, proud and evil, as her singing queens sang for her. 

_“If all of the kings, had their queens on the throne, we would pop champagne and raise a toast._

_To all of the queens, who are fighting alone, baby, you’re not dancin’ on your own.”_

Marinette raised her had beneath her chin and sweetly smiled, 

_“Disobey me, then baby, it’s off with your head,”_

She pretended to cut her throat, smirking as she did so with a promise in her eyes. 

_“Gonna change it, and make it, a world you won’t forget,”_

That was her promise. This was her world now. Her rules, her reign. The traitors would never forget her. Never forget who she was or who she became. They will live with regret forever. Until the day they die. 

_“No damsel in distress, don’t need to save me._

_Once I start breathing fire you can’t tame me.”_

Her kings, her heart and soul, moved to stand in front of her. Turning their backs to the camera and bowed on one knee. Their right hands over their hearts as they bowed their heads. They were once the most seclusive people on the planet. They once bowed to no one. Now, everyone would see they only respect and obey one. 

They were kings, and they listened to their chosen queen. That was how far she came. That was how good of a queen she was. That was undeniable now. 

_“And you may think I’m weak without a sword, but if I had one it’d be bigger than yours.”_

They once saw a small girl with a gentle face and a heart on her shoulders for all to take. She used to be a person easily taken advantage of. But now? She was an empress of all. She was stronger than anyone, both in heart and mind. Any poor soul that dared to ignore this message would have hell to pay. 

Her regally dressed singers announced her message to those she was once like. 

_“If all of the kings, had their queens on the throne, we would pop champagne and raise a toast._

_To all of the queens, who are fighting alone, baby, you’re not dancin’ on your own.”_

Her fellow queens elegantly danced around her throne as she sat back down, crossing her legs and leaning her head into her left hand on the armrest. Her kings stood back up and moved to stand beside her throne, slowly taking every step with regal and kingly loyalty. 

Marinette half-closed her eyes as her kings glared for her at the camera, leaving her to smile innocently, almost naively, with a cold aura. 

_“In chess, the king can move one space at a time, but queens are free to go wherever they like.”_

Her stupid former schoolmates thought she was trapped around them. Mere bishops and rooks thinking they had her surrounded. But she was a queen, and she was able to take them all off the board. 

_“You get to close, you’ll get a royalty high.”_

Marinette stood up and reached both her arms to caress the faces of her kings, sweetly and vengefully eyeing the camera while adding a daring smile. 

_“So breathe it in to feel the love!”_

She felt her kings lean into her touch, put their hands beneath hers, and felt their glares soften and shift. 

Her aspiring queens made the final announcement, the final call, the message to all like she used to be. 

_“If all of the kings, had their queens on the throne, we would pop champagne and raise a toast._

_To all of the queens, who are fighting alone, baby, you’re not dancin’ on your own.”_

They weren’t alone. They were like her. And look at how far she came. They could do it too. 

* * *

Marinette’s music video of Kings & Queens went viral, both on TV and online. 

Just minutes after it was aired, Adrien found it while he was bored, scrolling through his computer during his free time. 

He was shocked to see Marinette. Sure, he saw her live performance at the Wayne gala, everyone did. 

He thought everything was temporary, that Marinette would come back and accept them all again.

He thought she was just throwing a tantrum, trying to prove her point about Lila over-dramatically. 

When his cousin had gone with Damian Wayne as her date, he thought she made a deal or something to make Lila jealous. 

But there Felix was.

Felix the Ice Prince of England with no friends, and obeyed no one but his mother, bowing to Marinette for everyone to see. 

Was it a setup? No. Felix would never allow this. It had to be a prank. A stunt double. 

“I dunno, kid,” Plagg looked over the video, “that looks exactly like him to me. Maybe he really did fall for her?” 

Impossible. Outrageous. It had to be fake. 

Marinette was the Everyday Ladybug.

The only person that was just as sweet as his lady used to be before she vanished. 

None of this fake dating and popularity could be permanent. 

If it was, then that meant Marinette, the Everyday Ladybug was gone, just like his lady. 

That couldn’t happen. It was too cruel a fate. 

She would come back. 

She would smile again, a real, warm smile. 

She would care again. 

She would take off the charges and lawsuits. 

She would be a good friend. 

She had to come back. 

She had to. 

She was the last princess he had left. 

He would be her knight again. 

That’s how it was. 

How it was meant to be. 

Ladybug was gone. 

She couldn’t leave him too. 

She wouldn’t. 

Right? 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, how things have changed Adrien.


	8. France

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe so many people love this! Chapter 8 is up! Please leave kudos and comment after!

Marinette came back to Paris in the Wayne family’s personal plane at the beginning of June, just a couple weeks before the Summer Holiday. 

Her exchange time was up, her coronation was finished, her crown was certifiably hers alone, and no one else’s. 

Now, she returns to the place it all began. The land of love that once nearly broke her heart. 

The damage from back then has scarred over now. She is stronger, wiser, and far more powerful. 

It was time to face everything and spell it out. 

She was done. With everything.

* * *

Marinette walked to College Francoise Dupont with her head held high like the queen she was now. 

She paid no mind to the bystanders and ordinary citizens that gasped, recognizing, and pointed her out to their neighbors and friends. 

She didn’t glance at her schoolmates both from higher and lower grades that gossiped at the sight of her. 

She never looked back or turned her head in any direction. 

Her sights were on one room, and that one alone. 

Queen Marinette walked into the classroom, her former classroom, and she was instantly flooded by her former friends. All of them tired and miserable incarnates with bags that must have weighed twice their body weights. 

She heard all the various apologies, declarations of change, promises, and requests of new friendship and didn’t even waver her stern expression of carelessness and boredom. 

“You are in my way,” she stated, loud enough for it to be a declaration and cold enough to make them freeze, “move.” 

That shocked them enough, and their instincts must have been what made them clear a path for her since they never stopped staring and didn’t seem to realize they were doing it. 

She walked regally to her old seat, the one in the far back of the room, overlooking everything beneath her. 

Marinette didn’t falter when she saw Kagami sitting in the desk in front of her seat. Her good and true friend texted her last night that she convinced her mother to allow her to stay in Franciose Dupont during Marinette’s last days before transferring to a new school. 

Thanks to their training, she didn’t blink when she saw Damian sitting in the seat next to hers or Felix crossing his arms in the seat under him and next to Kagami. 

She had honestly expected as much from them. The princes of her frozen dreams had mentioned many times they wished to see the chaos that would erupt on the incoming days. 

But there was one thing she wanted to change about this. 

Marinette moved to sit next to Damian, then gestured him to scoot down farther and he complied. She sat in the middle of the large desk, locked eyes with Felix, who was watching and tilted her head to the empty space next to her. Nodding his head, her blond king moved and took his place on her other side. 

It was a bit close, but this was how they were now. This was how she liked it. A queen should always have her king by her side. Or in her case, she should have her kings. 

“Girl!” Alya walked up to her and slammed her hands in front of Marinette, smiling like she used to do back in the old days, “You don’t have to sit here anymore, you know! Lila’s gone, you can sit up front next to me again!” 

Marinette’s expression didn’t waver but her princes happily glared at the ex-blogger for her. 

“Why would I do that?” Marinette questioned, raising a brow, “We’re not friends. By your own agreement if I recall correctly.” 

Alya’s expression turned shocked and then angry, “That was because of Lila! It was all her fault! If she hadn’t lied none of that would have happened!” 

Marinette blinked boredly, “Yes, if Rossi hadn’t lied, everything likely wouldn’t have gone as it did. But it was still your own choice to listen to her over me, Cesaire. It was your choice to go with her plans, ignore my request for you to fact check, destroy my things, and break into my house. The copies of your texts admitting to that prove it after all. I’m glad I had the foresight to print them out and have the police look over them for their opinions.” 

She gave a small smirk which her princes copied while Alya’s jaw dropped. 

“That was because she lied!” she ex-bestie screeched, “That wasn’t my fault! It was all Lila!” 

Marinette and the Ice Princes scoffed, “Are truly that stupid?” Damian asked, “You really believe in that?” Felix added. 

“Face it, Cesaire.” Marinette leaned forward and glared cold enough to freeze hell, “you are just as guilty of the crimes you’ve committed as Rossi. All of you are.” 

Marinette turned her glare away from the frightened and denying Alya to the rest of her old class. All of them were watching with various expressions of shock, sadness, guilt, and self-hate. 

She noticed Alix looked like she wanted to beat herself up. Kim seemed to be drowning with guilt. Max’s face indicated he was feeling like the world’s biggest fool because he was supposed to be the smartest in their class. Rose was gripping Juleka’s arm tightly while freely letting her tears fall. Juleka displayed depression in its purest form. Ivan was wrapping his arms around Mylene as she cried into his chest. Nino slouched and turned away while pulling his cap over his eyes. Nathanial was hunched over his desk. 

“And you all know it,” Marinette continued, getting all of them to flinch, “no matter how long you remain in denial. Facts are facts. Even if none of you actually did anything, you would all be guilty by association as you supported Rossi with everything she did to me. You all played a game with the vixen against me. And you lost. ‘To the winner goes to spoils’ as the Americans say.” 

Alya stomped her foot hard, “Our lives aren’t a game, Marinette! And we didn’t know! You can’t blame us for falling for Lila’s lies! Everyone did!” 

The designer queen stared hard at Alya, freezing the girl in her place, “Cesaire, every one of you had the chance to check if Lila was lying. I myself told you to check many times and you simply brushed me off, claiming you knew better and trusted her. And not everyone fell for her lies. I called her out multiple times on some of her most absurd lies in this very classroom. Adrien even knew she was lying, but said nothing because he was foolishly afraid of her getting akumatized. Which happened anyway throughout the year. How many times was she Hawkmoth’s favorite puppet? Twenty? Thirty? I honestly lost count.” 

The class all gasped, “Adrien knew?” Nino stuttered, looked lost and disbelieving. 

“Yes,” Marinette grimaced at the memory, “I was stupid enough back then to listen to him asking me to take the high road to keep her from falling victim to an Akuma. What a fool I was to listen to that brainless model.” 

“But you love Adrien!” Alya denied, “You have the biggest crush on him!” 

Marinette burned Alya with a glare, scaring the glasses girl to the point of shaking as the queen stated, “HAD, Cesaire. I had the biggest crush on the blond model. But that was ages ago, long before you all crossed the uncrossable line. My heart now belongs to two men alone, and they are always at my sides.” 

Damian and Felix smirked smugly as the class gapped at them. Alya shook her head in complete denial. 

“But you- you-” Alya began realizing she had nothing. 

“This argument is pointless, Cesaire.” 

Everyone turned to see Chloe smugly walk into the classroom and up to the seat next to Kagami, pushing Alya out of the way. 

“Marinette does not need friends like you now,” the blond sat down and pointed at the seat in front of her, making Sabrina nod happily and sit down in it, “she has us. And unlike you, all of us here,” she gestured to their little group of five plus Sabrina, “have actual brains with working cells. We aren’t like you lot,” she shooed a hand down towards the rest of the class as if she were shooing strays, “who fall for stupid and easy lies. And we’re loyal to our friends and allies. Which, you all proved you weren’t when you believed Marinette, who back then didn’t have a mean bone in her body, was a bully.” 

“Couldn’t have said it better myself, Chloe,” Marinette smiled pleasantly to her blond friend before looking stone-cold at Alya, who seemed to be questioning reality, “all of it is true. In some small way, I owe Rossi a thank you. If she hadn’t done the things she did, I would still be considering all of you my friends. Thankfully, now I don’t.” 

They all either looked away ashamed or gapped with their jaws glued to the floor until the bell rang and the new teacher walked in. 

Everyone quickly got into their seats at the sight of the young woman with as stern an expression as Ms. Mendeleiev. She had black hair tied into a french braid, dark brown eyes, and wore a dark blue blazer and trouser pants with a white button-down shirt. Her black ankle boot heels clicked on the floor as she walked professionally to her desk and looked over the class seating. 

Nathaniel remained in his usual spot in the back. In front of him were Rose and Juleka who were gripping hands to support each other. Mylene and Ivan were next, Ivan looking over to his girlfriend to make sure she was okay. Alya had taken Adrien’s old seat next to Nino in the front and looked close to a breakdown. Alix kept her spot but with Sabrina next to her and Kim and Max took the front seats since Kagami and Chloe confiscated their old ones. 

Bustier’s replacement raised a brow at the sight of Marinette and her boyfriends slightly crammed into a single desk in the far back when there was an empty spot next to Nathaniel. But she kept quiet at the cold atmosphere and daring expressions on the faces of not only the three in question, but also from the other Asian girl, the mayor’s daughter, and the lieutenant’s girl. She huffed before beginning the day’s lesson and continued the day as if it were any other. The teacher called out any she saw not paying attention and refused to let anyone interrupt her or speak without raising their hand first. Anything brought up that steered them off-topic was pushed aside and discontinued without a second thought. 

Marinette observed and approved of this woman, suspecting principal Mendeleiev had hired her specifically for this class because of their behavior under Miss Bustier’s guidance. 

During lunch, Marinette and her friends confiscated a table to themselves, glaring at anyone from the class that dare get close while ignoring the other school students gossiping at the sight of them. 

By then end of the day, the message seemed to have gotten through: leave them alone, everything from before is done. 

Alya did try pestering them twice more, each time falling short of a good excuse and reason. Her broken expression almost made Marinette want to smile. But she wasn’t worth smiling over. 

None of them were anymore.

* * *

Marinette didn’t blink when it was Gabriel Agreste himself that answered the door. 

“MDC,” the man stepped aside and allowed them entry to his isolated home, “welcome. I was not expecting a visit, nor your friends.” 

Felix remained professional around his uncle, Damian huffed, Kagami did nothing, Chloe smirked knowingly, and Sabrina smiled politely as Marinette nodded, “Yes, apologizes for the sudden appearance. But I needed to speak to your son. Privately.” 

Gabriel blinked but nodded and began walking towards Adrien’s room, “As you wish. This way, please.” 

Marinette followed emotionlessly as she sensed the magic of the butterfly Miraculous emanate from the fellow designer. So she was right, Gabriel was Hawkmoth. That left Nathalie to be Mayura since she was the only one close enough to Gabriel to help him out. Her thought was proven when they entered Adrien’s room, with Nathalie working with him in his piano lessons. She radiated the peacock Miraculous’ magic as she stood sternly over Adrien. 

But the kicker was Adrien. She could feel Plagg’s Miraculous magic, sense where he was hiding in the room, and knew everything right then and there. Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir. It twisted something in her gut to find out now. Adrien had been her partner and her first love. Now, both personas he had betrayed her in their own ways. 

That made this all the better and pleasant. 

“Adrien,” Gabriel addressed, gaining the boy and the assistant’s attention, Adrien’s eyes widened at the sight of Marinette as his father said, “MDC wishes to speak to you. Nathalie, let’s go.” 

The black-haired woman was shocked at first before nodding and walking out of the room with Gabriel. 

The seven teens were silent for a moment before Adrien stood up and smiled at Marinette, “I knew you’d come back.” 

“Sadly, Agreste,” Marinette spoke emotionlessly, which startled the boy a bit, “your hopes are not fulfilled as you think.” 

“Wh-What do you mean?” Adrien nervously looked over the others in the room, “You’re here, in Paris, again, right?” 

Marinette shook her head and locked eyes sternly at the blond twin of her Ice Prince of England, “I am only here until the Summer Holiday. Then I, Kagami, Chloe, and Sabrina shall be transferring into Gotham Academy permanently. As will Felix.” 

Adrien’s eyes widened with shock, “Transfering? But, didn’t you make up with the others?” 

Marinette sighed, “Agreste, life is not a fairy tale book. People do not ‘forgive and forget’ as easily as you think, especially people who are victims of abuse and bullying. I have not, and will never, forget what they did to me. Nor will I ever forget your part in it.” 

“My part?” he seemed to be getting frustrated, “I didn’t do anything.” 

“That’s part of the problem,” Marinette glared, “you did NOTHING. You let it all happen before your own eyes and knew everything. The worst part was that you asked me to take the high road and let it happen as Rossi’s lies ‘weren’t hurting anyone’ to use your own words. Well, they did. And not just me, those commissions they destroyed the day they broke into my house? Those were for paying, hard-working clients. Each one of them had only commissioned from me and needed them for important events in their careers. It was bad enough that they destroyed the ones in progress, but they also had the gull to ruin the ones in packaging, meant to be shipped out the next morning.” 

Adrien paled as realization dawn on him. 

“It was by mere luck,” Tikki, Tikki had been the one to bless her with good luck which got everything done in the nick of time, though very last minute, “that I was able to redo everything before their deadlines. Some only got to their pieces at their deadlines. Do you know how close some were to canceling their events? Too close. And you, the Agreste heir, should know by now how important timing such things are.” 

He did, as his guilty expression showed. Being homeschool again meant getting lessons on how to run the family business. Gabriel had surely gotten to that at some point, if not, his time spent observing should have given him a clue. 

Marinette glared fiercely into Adrien’s eyes now, intent on burning him from the inside out, “You, and everyone in our class, hurt me more than you will ever know. Your benefits and escapes from this life of yours,” Adrien’s eyes seemed to widen a bit, worried he might have been found out and likely thinking it was impossible for Marinette to know, “have made you weak and stupid. You have proven many times that you are a child in your life. Refusing to take things seriously.” 

She wasn’t just speaking of their time together in school, no, his time as Chat Noir was the same. Tardiness, frustration, the occasional tantrum, complaints, obsession, and even his obvious, childish disliking of Wasp and Fengbao were too much. He was ill-fit to be a superhero as much as he was a horrible friend. 

“Reality will come crashing down on you hard, Agreste.” Marinette stated, her cold expression and fiery eyes causing the boy to shake, “If you do not wake up, you will find it hard to move on. I have already told the others of your knowledge of Rossi’s lies. The truth has hurt them because they struggle to accept it. Believing everything can go back to the way it was. It will be a long, slow, painful life they will live if they do not begin opening their eyes. What was past is past, there is no going back. Their same fate will become of you should you continue to believe in fairy tales and ‘happily ever afters’.” 

Adrien was shaking like a leaf in the wind. His eyes wide and dilated as he breathed heavily. 

“Grow up, Adrien Agreste. That is the final piece of advice I have for you.” 

Marinette turned and walked out of the room, her friends and boyfriends following behind her and closing the door. 

Before opening the front door, Marinette turned to face Gabriel and Nathalie standing off to the side. 

“Let it never be said you, Gabriel Agreste, are a good father figure,” the man snapped his head up and frowned deeply but let her continue, “but you are the only one he has, and he is growing fast. Adulthood is drawing nearer and soon, you will not see a child in him for much longer. You have little time left to be a father to him. And less time to do all you would wish to do between a father and a son. Find time to be with him, Agreste, or you will regret it later.” 

Marinette left the manor without a word more and entered Chloe’s limo with her friends and Jean driving them to the Grande Paris Hotel. 

“You did well, Habibti.” Damian smiled, laying his hand on Marinette’s left knee. 

“Yes, Majesty,” Felix copied on her right knee, “he deserved every word.” 

“Thank you,” Marinette placed her hand over theirs, “mon émeraude,” she glanced at Damian’s emerald eyes, “mon péridot,” then to Felix’s peridot green irises, “I would be lost without you.” 

They smiled contently, leaning into each other during the drive with Kagami and Chloe smiling approvingly, and Sabrina quietly sighing dreamily. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The class is shocked, Adrien's hopes and dreams have crashed, and the Agreste family is exposed. 
> 
> What will Marinette do next? I wonder...


	9. Allies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading so far!

_“-and so, Wasp and Fengbao have defeated LadyWifi once more. Wait! It seems Chat Noir has just come to the scene, late, as usual, these days-”_

Marinette shut off the TV in her bedroom, sorting out the last of her things and taping down the boxes meant for shipping. 

Over the last few days, each of her soon-to-be-old classmates had gotten akumatized. Alya had been, surprisingly, the last one left until an hour ago. And each time, Chat Noir was late, tardy or; goofed off, complained, messed up, or just didn’t help while arguing on the sidelines. 

Worse, the akumas happened quite frequently, which meant Gabriel had not taken her words to heart. 

She sighed, a part of her had hopes that the man would have taken what little time he had left to spend with his son. Both the elder and younger Agreste’s would have to suffer the consequences of what came next. 

Hawkmoth and Mayura would soon be defeated. Marinette had planned everything. But first… 

The designer and queen looked over to the Miracle Box, sitting inside an open suitcase, knowing what she had to do, and had long wanted to do. 

… she had some recruiting to do.

* * *

“What is with the secrecy, Habibti?” Damian demanded, frowning over the closed and locked off room they were in. 

“I am also curious, Majesty,” Felix eyes the hardly used, small, single bed hotel room Marinette had chosen, “you were quite… vague when you requested this meeting.” 

Marinette nodded from the bed she sat on, Chloe standing on her left, arms crossed, and Kagami on her right, hands folded behind her. 

“I was, mes joyaux,” Marinette nodded, giving them a small smile, “but secrecy is necessary for what I am about to tell you.” 

The two Ice Princes became serious and stiff as they eyed over her concerned and slightly nervous. 

“As you already know, Paris has been a victim of Hawkmoth and Mayura for years,” she frowned and furrowed her eyebrows, “the people have been terrorized for far too long. But I plan to stop their reign once and for all.” 

The boys blinked, “You can’t be serious, Habibti,” Damian gapped, “you may be strong now because of your training, but you can’t go against a terrorist alone.” 

“Damian is right,” Felix nodded in agreement, “it is reckless and foolish to even think of it.” 

Chloe scoffed and Kagami frowned, but Mairentte raised a hand, which made them return to their neutral expressions, and smiled up to her boyfriends. 

“What you don’t know,” she tilted her head, “is that I am Ladybug and the guardian of the Miraculous.” 

They blinked hard and Marinette looked over to Chloe, “The butterfly?” 

The blond girl smirked and reached behind her legs, pulling a small, black, Chinese jar with red glowing runes for all to see. 

“Safe, Bug,” Chloe smirked at the boys’ flabbergasted expressions, “care to do the honors?” 

Marinette got up from the bed and returned the smirk, “Is there another who even can?” 

Tikki came out from Marinette’s side purse, waved to the boys, who were getting more shocked, and hovered over her chosen’s shoulder. 

“Tikki, spots on!” 

In a flash, Marinette was in her armored Ladybug uniform and nodded her head to Chloe, who nodded back and opened the jar. A corrupted butterfly flew out and Ladybug caught it with her yo-yo. She opened it back up and allowed the butterfly to fly over to the vase of Butterfly bush placed in the room solely for the creature. 

“Spots off.” 

Marinette stood in front of her green-eyed kings proudly while they eyed Tikki, who greeted, “Hello! I am Tikki, kwami of creation. I give Marinette her powers to be Ladybug, just as Pollen and Longg do for Chloe and Kagami.” 

The two other kwamis in question came out of their hiding places and gave their own greetings of, “Hello, kings of the guardian”, and “Greetings young sirs and good day to you”. 

Both the Wayne and Graham de Vanily heirs blinked hard at the tiny creatures. 

“Why tell us?” Felix asked after they regained calm expressions. 

“Because being the Guardian of the Miraculous is far more important than being Ladybug,” Marinette explained seriously, “the dangers of not being the guardian for a second far outway the threats of Ladybug not being active. And now, I know who Hawkmoth and Mayura are, but I can not face them myself, less leave all the inactive miraculous open for anyone to stumble upon.” 

“You want us to fight for you?” Damian questioned, lowering his head a bit and furrowing his eyes. 

Marinette nodded, “Yes, but there is something I wish to request from you both first.” 

They glanced at each other before returning their attention to Marinette, who continued, “Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir, Ladybug’s obsessor and Paris’ ill-fit hero.” 

Damian’s face twisted as if he were smelling something rancid. Felix tensed, frowned deeply, squinted his eyes, and glared through Marinette, likely picturing Adrien. 

“Yes,” Marinette sighed, “the stray has proven himself to me in both his personas that he is not worthy. He is still obsessing over Ladybug, and rather than changing to prove himself, he has only gotten worse. I had small hopes rooted in my old life that he may have been willing to change if given time, but no such thing has happened.” 

Marinette turned to Kagami, who nodded and pulled the Miracle Box from the bed’s nightstand. She placed it in the center of the bed and Marinette opened it, taking two miraculous before returning her sights on her boyfriends. 

“Ladybug can not take back his miraculous,” Marinette stated seriously, confusing the boys a bit before explaining, “his belief of her returning to him will only encourage his behavior and childish dreams, should she appear before him again. I want to do more than relinquish him of his power, I want him to face cold, hard, reality.” 

The kings understood their queen and sternly nodded, understanding crossing their eyes. 

Marinette took a deep breath, “Felix Graham de Vanily, Damian Wayne,” the two snapped to attention, “these are the miraculous of the fox,” she extended her left hand to Felix, a small box in her hand, “which grants the power of illusion, and the miraculous of the turtle,” her right hand went to Damian, with a matching box, “which grants the power of protection.” 

She gazed into their eyes seriously, “Such powers are only to be used for the greater good. By accepting these, you agree to fight for Paris, under my leadership, and swear to the secrecy of these jewels, never to tell anyone.” the guardian stated, becoming stern, “Not even your most trusted family.” 

They hesitated at that last part, but a quick glance at each other and nodding, they took their respective miraculous and opened the boxes. 

Both were momentarily blinded by the orange and green lights but soon came face to face with the tiny fox and turtle. 

“Hello,” Damian’s new kwami smiled, “my name is Wayzz.” 

“My name is Trixx,” the little fox beamed at Felix, “and I’m your kwami.” 

Damian and Felix nodded to the small creatures then retired their gazes to Marinette, who smiled warmly. They put on the jewelry as they turned into their camouflage modes and stood with their heads high. 

Chloe and Kagami walked over to stand near to the newest wielders, Chloe by Damian and Kagami next to Felix. 

“With that,” Marinette smiled proudly, “my first mission for you happens tonight,” she turned serious and stern as she stated, “retrieve the alley cat’s ring, and return it to the Miracle Box.” 

The four wicked smirks that came from her chosen wielders ensured her this mission was in good hands. 

Her allies will happily skin the cat, it was to be a great pleasure for sure. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two new wielders and a mission: skin the cat. 
> 
> Oh, how will this end?


	10. Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave kudos if you like reading this!

_“The stray has left his home,”_ Wasp reported, _“seems he may actually be working tonight.”_

_“Too little, too late,”_ Fengbao growled low, _“where’s he heading?”_

_“Looks like the Eiffel tower,”_ the bee calculated, _“like every other time.”_

_“We once used it as a rendezvous point,”_ Ladybug, the guardian, stated over the line, _“it may be his delusional belief that’s where I may come for him.”_

“We’ll handle him, Ladybug,” Snapper, Damian’s new persona, stated, “he won’t be dreaming for much longer.” 

Coyote, Felix Graham de Vanily, nodded next to him before they began running across the rooftops towards Paris’ landmark. 

Snapper had at first been shocked by his new uniform, a green near-match to his old garb in the League of Assassins. But the main difference was this one was the green coloring. His arms, legs, and hood were all juniper green, the vest was dark emerald, the fabric belt and balaclava mask were pine green, the thin plates of armor on his forearms and ankles were basil green, and emerald green colored the strap holding his shield, the shield itself, and his shoes. 

The shell-shaped shield had enlarged greatly from both Carapace’s and Jade Turtle’s weapons, according to the guardian. The once small forearm length shield now covered Snapper’s entire back and stuck out a bit at the sides. Marinette had theorized it happened to fit his over-protectiveness and need to cover all bases, which, honesty, was true, though he would never admit it out loud. 

The name Snapper came from his Habibti, as it fit his short temper and trust issues with others. It got a laugh out of everyone but he accepted it on account Marinette made it. 

His outfit itself seemed to oddly fit, given the secrecy within the League of Assassins matched the requested secrecy of his new team. The old turned new. Now the uniform didn’t symbolize his past heritage. It represented his dedication to his beloved. 

Coyote took an appearance more associated with his miraculous. It was a jacket/spandex mix, glossy like leather but flexible, fulvous covered his arms, legs, chest, long ears, and back. White took his boots, gloves, inner legs, the very tips of his ears, and the tip of a long, fluffy, fulvous tail he grew. Fengbao had been pleased to no longer be the only one with an extra appendage, A mask covered the top half of his face, his forehead starting as the same fulvous color then fading to white towards the bottom, ending just on his cheekbones. 

A flute was strapped to his back, the length of a bo staff with white stripes. It was a bit longer than Rossi’s akumatized fox miraculous form, though only by a few inches. Marinette suspected it may have adjusted to being more useful to Coyote, considering his training. 

The hero name Coyote also came from Marinette. She said it was because out of all of them, Felix was the sliest and cunning, often being wise of his actions while being mischievous. Which was once again true, the blond was very clever in his own schemes of payback or justice. 

As they ran towards the Eiffel tower, Damian thought back to a year ago. If someone had told him he would fall in love with the same girl as Felix Graham de Vanily, become friends with him, Chloe Bourgeois, and Kagami Tsurugi, then fight said girl’s former partner and obsessor for a magical ring in her honor, he may have questioned their mental health. 

Yet, here he was, fighting alongside stated friends and fellow boyfriend of Marinette Dupain-Cheng, headed for mentioned obsessor, and doing so while wearing a magical suit that came from a magical bracelet, which came from Marinette, who as the guardian of all these magical jewels, and part of a secret magical order that existed to protect said magical jewelry, while keeping balance in the world. 

And the Justice League thought the League of Assassins were the most secret organization in the world before the fall of Ra’s Al Ghul and Talia. 

Topped with everything, he swore not to tell anyone of what he now knows, including his family, the Bat clan, which was supposed to know everything, as it consisted of the world’s greatest detectives. 

But for once, what Batman didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. If he ever found out, it would only be a small blow to his pride. 

Besides, this situation consisted of magic, and his father hated magic. Oddly, it felt nice to sort of rebel behind his back without his knowledge. 

And Felix wasn’t half bad a friend, sparring partner, an ally in battle, and co-boyfriend of MDC. His brothers first though he and Felix would tear each other apart over Marinette, but honestly sharing wasn’t half bad. It helped the press got a blow to their ‘predicting-love-outcome-skills’ pride when they stated they were fine sharing Marinette, and Marinette may or may not have mentioned if they did fight over her she would kick their asses. It made them both love her even more and become terrified of ever fighting, because with how well Marinette had trained, she was fully capable of making good on her word, even at Damian’s full strength. 

“Cat’s gone up,” Fengbao stared at the top of the tower when they all gathered at the base, “do you think he’d land on his feet?” 

“We’ll find out,” Coyote squinted, “soon enough.” 

Wasp and Snapper nodded before all four of them jumped, scaling the metal monument towards their mission. 

They had a cat to skin. Alive.

* * *

Coyote took to gripping parts of the tower as he jumped upwards bit by bit, sensing his three new comrades in arms near him. 

What a shock it was that the incompetent feline hero was his stupidly naive cousin. Not. 

If it hadn’t been for the magic protecting their identities, Felix likely would have known the day he got one of the Graham de Vanily Twin Rings. The way Marinette and Ladybug both fawned over Adrien and how both Adrien and Chat Noir obsessed over Ladybug. It was obvious but magic worked in weird ways. 

How ironic that now he had not only taken Marinette as Felix but was also taking over Adrien’s hero job, fighting for ‘his lady’. Damian was taking it with him, but all the same, it was poetic. 

Felix’s cousin had always been childish and babied, even as they got older. Adrien always listened to his father, never bothered doing anything himself or make his own decisions. Hell, Adrien didn’t go to Felix’s father’s, his own uncle’s, funeral because his ‘father thought it would be too hard on him’. Pathetic, as always. 

They made it to the top, finding the black cat wielder perched on a rail, singing something about a cat and his lady. Despicable stray, the alley cat was. 

Coyote and Snapper moved to the shadows, going for the element of surprise as Wasp and Fengbao made their presence known to the stray. 

“Chat Noir,” Fengbao growled, “have you anything to say to your actions as the wielder of the Black Cat Ring?” 

“Besides how great a hero I am?” Chat purred and flipped, landing on all fours and facing the female heroes with a disgusted look, “That things would be better if Ladybug came back to take your miraculous. Neither of you deserves them, much less know m’lady’s identity before me.” 

Coyote let out a low growl, which was covered by Wasp’s shouting, “You ungrateful alley cat! You should be thankful you got to keep your miraculous this long! You haven’t even done any decent hero work for over a year! And you still have the audacity to think you’re entitled to know Ladybug’s identity after all your obsessions and inappropriate behavior?!” 

The cat screeched, “The Ladybug and Black Cat are meant to be! We’re soulmates, you wouldn’t understand! You two are just cheap fill-ins while she hides. Like a coward. Ladybug should just stop throwing a tantrum and face facts. She NEEDS me, unlike you.” 

That was the last straw he could take, and Snapper too, considering his tense poser and clenched fists. Coyote and Snapper locked eyes, their silent conversation lasting a second before nodding and making their entrance. 

Both loudly landed in front of Wasp and Fengbao, shocking Chat Noir into taking a step back before frowning angrily. 

“And who are you?” he boldly asked with a sneer. 

Coyote and Snapper stood up together and glared at Chat Noir enough to light him on fire if it were possible. 

“Your replacements.” Snapper snapped at the cat. The turtle’s voice sounded clear despite the fabric covering his nose and mouth. Magic was the only answer. 

The cat blinked then growled, claiming, “You’re lying.” 

Coyote huffed a chuckle, “What would you know of liars? Oh, that’s right,” he glared, “you support them all the time. My mistake.” 

Chat blinked in confusion and disbelief, “What are you talking about?” he asked, getting suspicious and going into a defensive position. 

“Chat Noir, aka, Adrien Agreste,” Snapper addressed, shocking Chat Noir to gasping and taking another step back, “by order of the Guardian of the Miraculous, you have been judged unfit to further wield the Black Cat Ring.” 

Seeing Snapper’s unseen signal, Coyote finished the decree, “You have a choice to either willingly give up your miraculous to us, or we will be obligated to return it to her, by any means necessary.” 

Chat glared, growled loudly, and denied, “She can’t do that!” 

Wasp smirked, “She’s the Guardian of the Miraculous, Agreste, she can and she has. There’s nothing you can do about it.” 

“You had your chance to change this,” Fengbao spoke up, growling in the back of her throat, “but you failed. Now, you face the consequences of your actions.” 

“What actions?!” Chat Noir screeched, “I didn’t do anything!” 

The black-clad hero paused after that came out, a feeling of deja vu coming over all of them. 

“Exactly,” Coyote spoke up after a moment of silence, “you did NOTHING. Thinking that nothing would happen to you in return. Other than your demands, which never happened. And you continued such actions of NOTHING even when that was clear.” 

Snapper continued for him, “You complained of your newest allies in battle, whined of ‘unfairness’ despite never earning the right, refused to assist during attacks when the people need you, left the battles to Wasp and Fengbao, continued obsession over your leader, even after she stated having no interest in you, and worse, you pushed for privileges and more when you did not deserve them.” 

Coyote took over, “You would rather throw childish tantrums, and leave the battle against Hawkmoth and his akumas than swallow your pride to save Paris and its people. You have proven to everyone you are no hero.” 

“And you dare imply the guardian needs you? That she is a coward, not fighting every day in any way she can?” Snapper questioned, sneering, “Then you never knew Ladybug or the Guardian. For someone who claims to be her soulmate, you belittle and poorly judge her quite despicably.” 

“You’re wrong!” Chat screamed and pounced after Snapper in a blind rage. 

The turtle quickly got his shield and threw it at the cat’s gut, making the poor hero fall back as the shield returned to Snapper. 

Chat quickly got back up though and aimed for Coyote next, only to be pounced in return and slammed to the metal floor, his arms immobilized behind his back. 

The cat struggled to free his arms but found the fox stronger and retraining him further at every twitch and jerk. 

The black cat only stopped when Snapper kneeled over his head and slammed the edge of his shield next to his throat, piercing the floor as the rounded edge also hovered over his neck. 

Snapper and Coyote growled as Chat Noir gulped, Wasp and Fengbao snickering from their spots at the scene. 

“Did you think the guardian would allow someone incapable of defeating you to come for your miraculous?” Wasp sweetly asked, “Coyote and Snapper were the most loyal allies in her civilian life. They train with her on a daily basis now, and while they can’t beat her in a fight anymore, they are more than qualified to take you down.” 

Fengbao nodded in agreement, “They are also just as acceptable to fight in her honor, something you have long neglected to do. Much less have you reached the qualifications for.” 

Chat Noir’s eyes widened and stared between the green and fulvous heroes trapping him, “You know her identity too?” 

Snapper and Coyote shared a glance before smirking down at the flabbergasted cat, though only Coyote’s grin could be seen. 

“We should,” Snapper started with a wicked glint in his eyes, “we’ve been dating her for a while now.” Coyote finished with an evil smile. 

While the cat gasped in disbelief, Coyote slipped the ring off. A bright green flash passed and Adrien Agreste was all that remained under them. 

“You- you can’t do this to me!” Adrien denied, squirming again. 

“We can.” Snapper bluntly stated as he returned his shield to its place. 

“We’ve been given orders from the Guardian of the Miraculous,” Coyote added, lifting the now civilian to stand as they moved to stand in a circle around him, “Ladybug herself.” 

“I’ll tell everyone in Paris of this!” Adrien tried to threaten, “I’ll tell them everything! I’ll-I’ll-!” 

“You’ll what?” Wasp sarcastically asked, frowning in anger at the blond boy’s pathetic attempts of getting his way, “Tell everyone of Paris that Adrien Agreste, the boy model already associated with Lila Rossi’s toxic class, was the, now ex, hero Chat Noir? Who hardly ever showed up for months after Ladybug went underground to plan for Hawkmoth’s defeat? And left Paris to be protected by Ladybug’s chosen heroines, only to return if Ladybug came back and confessed non-existing love for him? Not to mention, publicly complained, whined, and forfeited during and at battles, if he ever showed up?” 

Adrien paled wide-eyed as his actions over the last year were highlighted in a few sentences. Only now he was hearing how bad it all sounded, how horrible it was. Reality came crashing down hard for the delusional blond. 

“You are in a deep enough grave as it is,” Coyote growled into Adrien’s ear as Snapper glared at the blond for him, “don’t go making even more stupid desitions and bury yourself alive with Chat Noir’s bad publicity to top it off.” 

“Or do,” Snapper added, glaring, “and make yourself look even more foolish than you already are in thinking the public will side with you.” 

“The only possible allies you’ll get out of it,” Fengbao spoke up emotionlessly, “are your old friends and classmates. But they all know of your part in Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s bullying, don’t they? And how you knew everything, and did nothing. Just as you did as Chat Noir.” 

Adrien shuttered, failing to find anything to say, to defend himself and justify his actions or lack thereof. 

His face went from frustrated, denial, anger, realization, to finally, sadness and regret. The truth was hard to ignore when it faced you head-on. Facts laid out clearly for even a toddler to understand, and undeniable mistakes pointed out with clear certainty of their wrongs and truth coming to light. 

The Agreste heir finally broke under the pressure of truth and verity shattering his walls of dreams and imagination. He lost strength in his legs and fell to his knees with Coyote still holding him captive. The blond boy’s breathing turned into heavy panting, his body shook, and finally, his soft sobs were heard and tears poured from his green, dull eyes. 

The four heroes stood emotionlessly around Adrien as he cried. 

‘Pathetic,’ Felix thought as he stared into the back of Adrien’s head, ‘it takes this for you to see your errors cousin.’

* * *

The four heroes returned Adrien Agreste to his home, Snapper hitting a pressure point to knock the blond out for the trip with Coyote covering their entrance and exit with his magic. 

They went to the rendezvous point, an abandoned massage parlor, where Ladybug sat waiting for them. Having heard everything through their coms, she smiled as they walked in, Snapper and Coyote kneeling upfront with Wasp and Fengbao taking a seat next to them, a bit more than a foot further back. 

“You both did well,” Ladybug said proudly as Coyote presented the ring in the palm of his hand, letting her gently take it, “thanks to your skills and words, Adrien Agreste has been shown truth and reality, and the Black Cat Ring has been returned where it truly belongs.” 

“They handled the stray quite well, Bug,” Wasp commented, “I barely saw them move.” 

Fengbao nodded, “They were skillful and cunning, using their abilities well, especially for first-timers.” 

“I truthfully expected no less,” Ladybug smiled, placing the ring on her finger and summoning Plagg, who yawned, “their souls matched well with the miraculous I chose for them. Just as your souls match yours.” 

“As nice as all this chit-chat is,” Plagg boredly spoke up and pouted, “when am I getting my camembert? I had to put up with that kid and his whining for over a year!” 

Ladybug chuckled as the other four looked at the small cat in various looks of disgust, disbelief, and anger. 

“All in good time, Plagg. For now,” the leader faced her allies seriously, “we will be going over my plan to take down Hawkmoth and Mayura.” 

The four costumed magical heroes returned her serious expression and sat straight at attention. 

“Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie Sancoeur will end their reign of terror,” Ladybug stated, “one way or another.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cat is no more! 
> 
> Now, there's a butterfly to net and a peacock to pluck!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked reading this! Please share your opinions in the comments and leave kudos!


End file.
